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???

[guidry]

Obatanga Borealis wrote:
Wow. I expected urbane, constructive comments on this board but have received a lot of disparaging remarks. Unbelievable. I expected more of an RV brotherhood here.

It is because you bought the house knowing (or should have known) what the restrictions were and now complaining. It is difficult for any of us to help you after the fact. Now, if you would have asked us before you bought, we would have told you to find another town/City to move to that has more lenient ordinances about RV's.

Sorry you feel slighted; many on this forum are very polite and helpful. But when someone posts something obvious then many don't sugar coat the answers. Good luck; you only option now is to move or put your RV in a storage lot somewhere.

[naturist]

Zoning/HOA rules are one reason we bought where we did: no HOA, no deed restrictions, zoned agriculture, so no problem with "large" vehicles, and with 25 acres and no adjacent neighbors, we've got plenty of room to store the RV, and indeed use it as occasional guest quarters. County only cares if we put it out by the road or have someone living in it on a continuing basis. And then only if there are complaints, and since to even see it, you have to trespass on my property, there's pretty much no risk of even that.

[Lynnmor]

Obatanga Borealis wrote:
Wow. I expected urbane, constructive comments on this board but have received a lot of disparaging remarks. Unbelievable. Apparently, this is not a nice place at all.

People want to be totally controlled, it's not like the country our founding fathers envisioned.

[Obatanga_Boreal]

To Schlep in Harrisburg: It's not an HOA, just another over-regulated western PA township. Looking at similar ordinances around the US, I've discovered that zoning boards tend to just cut and paste what others have done. I found folks in Indiana and Rhode Island who successfully overturned such ordinances that were unfair to responsible RVers.

[Obatanga_Boreal]

Wow. I expected urbane, constructive comments on this board but have received a lot of disparaging remarks. Unbelievable. I expected more of an RV brotherhood here.

[wapiticountry]

Obatanga Borealis wrote:
Appreciate the comments. These ordinances are indicative of repressive government. We own a 2019 Winnebago, not an eyesore. It is inspected, insured and operable. I am offended by local potentates who claim having an RV parked in a long driveway somehow lowers property values or somehow obstructs some goofball's view of the tele pole in front of his house. If they're wary of RVs, then have property owners purchase an annual permit for, say, $100. Townships love money above all. We pay enough in property taxes here in PA. And enough of the lectures on not investigating this prior to the home purchase; there were other reasons for the purchase - and a bad law is a bad law.

I just don't understand why they're so hostile to RVs in general. It's not like the Clampetts are living in the driveway!

But the Clampetts could load up their truck and move to Beverly...unless an ordinance keeps their truck out. A fee wouldn't help because there is no way to legislate nice rig vs pit stop on the way to the salvage yard. Jed hit black gold, Texas Tea, so he can pay that $100.00 no problem. I would venture to say that since it is a law on the books most of your neighbors disagree that it is a bad law. I know I wouldn't want my neighborhood filled with RVs in the front lawns.

[RetiredRealtorR]

way2roll wrote:
This is an ordinance in our HOA - one I am not happy about and was changed after we moved here. We actually have boat storage in our neighborhood but RV's aren't permitted. We were told when we bought a lot here we could store our RV there - lied to basically. Anyway, the rule is that it can be in your drive for less than 24 hrs. But some folks do it for 2-3 days until someone complains. I've asked for an exception once for 3 days while we had family visiting to use it as a spare bedroom and it was denied. So now I don't ask for permission. I do what I want and ask for forgiveness later. There is an exception in cases of an extended power outage - like after a hurricane. I miss our old property. Had 6 acres and could store the Rv where I could see it.

If the ordinance was changed AFTER you moved there, were you able to have your say at the HOA meeting that was held when the matter was discussed and voted upon? I would imagine you did. And, relying on a verbal representation and basing your purchase on that is, well, just plain foolish. Sorry, just calling it as I see it.

[schlep1967]

Obatanga Borealis wrote:
Appreciate the comments. These ordinances are indicative of repressive government. We own a 2019 Winnebago, not an eyesore. It is inspected, insured and operable. I am offended by local potentates who claim having an RV parked in a long driveway somehow lowers property values or somehow obstructs some goofball's view of the tele pole in front of his house. If they're wary of RVs, then have property owners purchase an annual permit for, say, $100. Townships love money above all. We pay enough in property taxes here in PA. And enough of the lectures on not investigating this prior to the home purchase; there were other reasons for the purchase - and a bad law is a bad law.

I just don't understand why they're so hostile to RVs in general. It's not like the Clampetts are living in the driveway!

So is this an HOA or a municipality? What is the municipality?

[jdc1]

Quit crying. You moved there, follow the rules. You and your neighbors voted for the change in HOA rules....majority wins.....and you knew that when you bought there. Why anyone would want to live in a place that has another stack of rules to be governed by is beyond me. It's like moving next to a dairy farm and complaining about the flies. LOL. Run for a seat on the HOA if you want to change something.

[valhalla360]

camperdave wrote:
Man, our city changed the rules after we already lived here. In our case it's OK in the driveway if it's behind the house line and there is a 6' fence between RV and street, but no more parking in the street even overnight. Sucks. But, short of moving which we aren't going to do for at least 10 years (I hope!), not much to do but comply.

In talking to the city, they only will enforce if there is a complaint, but still. All it takes is one complaint and you're busted.

If you can reasonably demonstrate that you had an expectation (preferably actually utilized) before the rule went into effect, you could probably be grandfathered in as you can demonstrate a clear damage to the value of your property ($0/month to store the RV at your home vs $100/month to pay for a storage yard).

Unfortunately, since the OP bought after the rule was applied, he can't claim the same expectation.

[magicbus]

They tried to institute this in a town where I used to live. It was a beach town and boats were okay in driveways but some people didn't want RV's. Luckily I was an elected councilman at the time and lobbied against it (pointing out that boats ARE recreational vehicles) until it was dropped.

Dave

[Jebby14]

^ good luck.

[way2roll]

This is an ordinance in our HOA - one I am not happy about and was changed after we moved here. We actually have boat storage in our neighborhood but RV's aren't permitted. We were told when we bought a lot here we could store our RV there - lied to basically. Anyway, the rule is that it can be in your drive for less than 24 hrs. But some folks do it for 2-3 days until someone complains. I've asked for an exception once for 3 days while we had family visiting to use it as a spare bedroom and it was denied. So now I don't ask for permission. I do what I want and ask for forgiveness later. There is an exception in cases of an extended power outage - like after a hurricane. I miss our old property. Had 6 acres and could store the Rv where I could see it.

[Obatanga_Boreal]

Appreciate the comments. These ordinances are indicative of repressive government. We own a 2019 Winnebago, not an eyesore. It is inspected, insured and operable. I am offended by local potentates who claim having an RV parked in a long driveway somehow lowers property values or somehow obstructs some goofball's view of the tele pole in front of his house. If they're wary of RVs, then have property owners purchase an annual permit for, say, $100. Townships love money above all. We pay enough in property taxes here in PA. And enough of the lectures on not investigating this prior to the home purchase; there were other reasons for the purchase - and a bad law is a bad law.

I just don't understand why they're so hostile to RVs in general. It's not like the Clampetts are living in the driveway!

[camperdave]

Man, our city changed the rules after we already lived here. In our case it's OK in the driveway if it's behind the house line and there is a 6' fence between RV and street, but no more parking in the street even overnight. Sucks. But, short of moving which we aren't going to do for at least 10 years (I hope!), not much to do but comply.

In talking to the city, they only will enforce if there is a complaint, but still. All it takes is one complaint and you're busted.