Fighting zoning ordinances that hurt RV owners

[Obatanga_Boreal]

We just moved to a new township and AGAIN are faced with ridiculous local zoning ordinances that prevent or strictly impede RV owners from parking their rigs in their own paved driveways or on their own property! These rules are wholly unfair. It seems zoning officers, in their quest to restrict derelict vehicles from driveways, have lumped RV owners into the same group and it's a terrible injustice. How do RV groups fight this wholesale discrimination by petty local officials???

[LLeopold]

A few years ago, Good Sam published a parking rights handbook to assist RV owners in working with their HOA and community establish or modify rules that were more equitable.

The handbook may be found here.

Part of being a Good Sam member is to work with your local chapter to work with the HOA or community. Behind the local chapter is the national Good Sam members who know the "rights and privileges."

Of course, there may be resistance, but with every noble cause, working within the system and patience goes a long way.

Hope this helps.

[steveh27]

I fought my city when they went from allowing rvs, boats, etc if not visible from the street and needing a permit to prove it, to not allowed at all. I had an exemption from the original because I had a Class B and the building dept head said he would treat it like a conversion van. When the new ordinance went into effect I was given notice to remove my "offensive" vehicle within 10 days.

It took 2 years of attending every council session, filing a county law suit vs my city, getting involved in politics and getting 3 new council members elected, and I finally settled on a variance. That means I can keep my rv there forever, but cannot replace it.

I wanted to take this to my state's supreme court, but did not want to spend so much money. None of the 100 permit owners effected would help. Ohio had a lawsuit go to their supreme court and rv's are allowed in the driveway. I wish more states would have suits forcing that and the rv mfrs should help fund them.

I wanted to t

[wapiticountry]

gkainz wrote:
Having escaped an HOA in CA years ago with the GEICO commercial "Sylvia" as the self-appointed HOA protector, that commercial still makes my blood pressure spike. My ending to that commercial has me yanking her chain saw out of her hands, putting the cut off mailbox over her head and kicking her butt to the curb.

"Trespassing, destruction of private property, assault with a deadly weapon, felony menacing, harassment, and anything else I could think of. Have a nice day, Sylvia!"

You do realize it isn't a documentary? Not only do HOA members not cut down mailboxes and planters, Geckos do not talk and there is no such thing as a "Motaur" half motorcycle - half man. Never has there been an office where a camel walks around saying "What day is it?" every Wednesday. You would be wise to never, ever believe anything you see on TV unless you can verify it on the internet. That's the best way because you are not allowed to put anything on the internet that isn't true. It's a law, you can look it up on the internet.

[gkainz]

Having escaped an HOA in CA years ago with the GEICO commercial "Sylvia" as the self-appointed HOA protector, that commercial still makes my blood pressure spike. My ending to that commercial has me yanking her chain saw out of her hands, putting the cut off mailbox over her head and kicking her butt to the curb.

"Trespassing, destruction of private property, assault with a deadly weapon, felony menacing, harassment, and anything else I could think of. Have a nice day, Sylvia!"

[austinjenna]

If the rig is in good shape and parked in the driveway I dont get why anyone would not like it.
Im guesing Some people are just sore losers seeing others havin nice toys !
yeah I think thats it

Although his might be in good shape, not all of them will be and then the problems start

[ramyankee]

ktmrfs wrote:
I guess I'm the "odd man out", but we purposely chose a neighborhood with an HOA that prohibits RV, MH, boat, trailer etc. parking visible from the street, along with comercial vehicles. The HOA has a huge lot gated, locked, and barbed wire fencing for RV, boat, MH trailer storage with a storage cost/year of $35. No reason to not use the RV lot and neighborhood is lots nicer than some around and house values reflect that.

When looking to buy why some people don't bother to read the CC&R's and county parking regulations and then complain is strange.

I would probably have no issues at all with a fenced lot that would allow rvs, boats, etc. And for $35 a year... We went from $79 a month to now paying $45 a month. Glad we were able to find a less expensive spot. But now it is about 15 miles away.

[ferndaleflyer]

The county I lived in up North attempted to pass a bill in the county council restricting all kinds of "driveway" storage of boats, RVs, etc. I testified at the public hearing pointing out that their description of a covered vehicle said anything with a MPV tag....MPV tags were common on Jeeps, Broncos, Blazers, vans, along with motorhomes and trailers. The bill went to sleep after the president of the county council discovered that she would be in violation. That was 20 years ago and has never been revisited to this day. I had some success there on other occasions because I always tried to come prepared and had the ability to attract attention to things.

[tomman58]

As I stated before that our city mandates nothing bigger than 20' and it has to be behind the house. This in our are of heavily treed acre lots is quite doable. This is not a sub division but individual homes. I was president of the homeowners group for 15 years. We had not authority for demanding things but we did have the city keep our neighborhoods looking good and got may awards from the city and Washington. I guess what I am saying is living at a nicely groomed neighborhood is more important than making it look like a trailer park.

[JaxDad]

free radical wrote:
I live in midle class hood and many people have trailers FWheels and class A big motorhomes in their dryways year round
Some covered most not.

Check with your municipality, you might just find that it’s not legal but nobody has complained ..... yet.

In most places municipal zoning by-laws are only enforced following a complaint. HOA rules are a whole different matter.

It’s like speed limits, follow them if you like, speed if you like, you may get away with it for decades, you might not.

[sayoung]

I really don't see me ever owning property governed by a HOA. I do understand why lots of folks like the strict rules of a HOA. Simply read the rules before buying and if you don't read them you have messed up . Don't cry about the rules YOU agreed to when you purchased.
Nothing wrong with attempting to get the rules amended before you try to " break " them. Most of The other owners of property read the rules and purchased probably because one of the rules was of the NO rv parking in driveway. For example I have a close relative that owns a multi million $ condo on the Florida beach. He had his lawyer read the rules and explain the do's & donuts before hand.

[ktmrfs]

I guess I'm the "odd man out", but we purposely chose a neighborhood with an HOA that prohibits RV, MH, boat, trailer etc. parking visible from the street, along with comercial vehicles. The HOA has a huge lot gated, locked, and barbed wire fencing for RV, boat, MH trailer storage with a storage cost/year of $35. No reason to not use the RV lot and neighborhood is lots nicer than some around and house values reflect that.

When looking to buy why some people don't bother to read the CC&R's and county parking regulations and then complain is strange.

[free_radical]

Obatanga Borealis wrote:
Again, I appreciate the thoughtful comments. We do not live in some beach town where you might see RVs everywhere. It just makes little sense for township zoning boards to consider RVs as some sort of trash vehicle that brings down property values when tastefully parked in a long driveway. One neighbor mentioned that the township only enforces the RV ordinance if someone complains. Again, that's a ridiculous way to run a local government. There's also very few storage lots in the region, which further complicates the issue. I just don't understand the discrimination against RVers when I see dump trucks, utility vans, boat trailers, uninspected vehicles, etc. parked in local driveways. If I could, I'd just move out into the country somewhere. Or just hit the road in the rig! Thanks, folks.

If the rig is in good shape and parked in the driveway I dont get why anyone would not like it.
Im guesing Some people are just sore losers seeing others havin nice toys !
yeah I think thats it

[free_radical]

cptqueeg wrote:

afidel wrote:

cptqueeg wrote:
I bought a home in an HOA w strict rules so the place never becomes an eyesore. It's a hassle but I deal with it.

The next town to the south has boats, and rvs parked everywhere and it's horrid.

In another area, my buddy bought a 1 acre lot w no restrictions and he built the garagemahal to live in. It works for him but doesn't do justice to the beautiful, classic low country brick homes that he has around him. Nothing like having a concrete driveway encircle the house (like a moat) so you call pull through w truck and 21' center console.

It's SO horrid, people using the property they own to store legal vehicles that they own, get me my smelling salts. I guess I'm in favor of some HOAs if it keeps busybodies like you from petitioning city councils to pass MORE regulations! Seriously, unless someone's causing a public health problem or presenting an attractive nuisance my attitude is do what you want with your property. As long as there aren't consequences on MY property it's no big deal (and in one case even though it has worsened the flooding in my yard I haven't complained because it keeps his driveway from washing out every few years).

There isn't one thing I said to deserve the response you made, so you can take your high and mighty ASSUMPTIONS about me and shove them. My comments referred to HOA's not a municipality.

First of all I'm not a busybody - I bought where I wanted to avoid people parking their stuff on the public streets, living in RV's, and on their lawns blocking the view of intersections, etc. I'm happy for them as the HORRID appearance keeps property taxes down along w their home values. In the end they are reducing the number of potential buyers for their homes and the selling price.

Secondly I never said I was in favor of or participating in any actions inside or outside of an HOA tightening any restrictions private property.

Ill have to say it again

OP said he wants to park his RV in his dryway,
NOT on the street,
how would that afect anyone is beyond me.

I live in midle class hood and many people have trailers FWheels and class A big motorhomes in their dryways year round
Some covered most not.
No one parks on the streets

Property prices depend on economy situation,
now they go up every year bc houses are in big demand RVs dont afect that here.

[free_radical]

IDman wrote:
I post this as an RV owner that stores his RV in a lot away from our neighborhood. We do not want to look out our windows and see a bunch of RVs in various condition up and down our street. If I wanted to see that, we would live in an RV park!!

Residential neighborhoods are just that! Maintain your lawn, keep the house looking good, take pride in your area.

Store your RV somewhere else!!

OP said he wants to park his RV in his dryway,
NOT on the street,
how would that afect anyone is beyond me.

I live in midle class hood and many people have trailers FWheels and class A big motorhomes in their dryways year round
Some covered most not.
No one parks on the streets

Property prices depend on economy situation,
now they go up every year bc houses are in big demand RVs dont afect that here.