Business owners and residents press council to curb long‑term RV and vehicle dwelling on city streets
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Summary
Multiple speakers told the council RVs, trailers and vehicle dwellers are occupying streets, creating sanitation, safety and parking impacts; council noted an agenda item on oversized vehicles is set for Oct. 20.
At least seven members of the public addressed the City Council during public comment on Oct. 6 to urge stronger action on long‑term parking of RVs, campers and other vehicle dwellers in commercial and residential streets.
Why it matters: Residents and businesses said prolonged vehicle dwelling is creating public‑health and safety hazards, blocking parking, degrading sidewalks and creating visibility problems at intersections.
Speakers described concentrated vehicle dwelling in several areas. Jack Sweeney told the council he regularly finds human waste and litter on sidewalks and medians along El Camino Way and Park Boulevard and said vehicles with “no parking” citations had remained in place for months. Business representatives said RVs block employee and customer parking and create pedestrian and traffic visibility hazards. Brad Anderson Smith described numerous RVs “parked in the exact same spot for months, if not years,” with trash and personal belongings spilling into gutters and sidewalks. Nancy Ellickson and others reported visible sewage discharges, illegal hookups to electricity and water, and vehicles that appear not roadworthy.
Several speakers urged the city to create designated, sanitary safe‑parking sites with bathrooms and services or to do more active enforcement and tow repeat offenders. Mitch McGillis, a commercial property manager, said tenants had considered leaving Palo Alto if conditions did not improve and reported near‑miss traffic incidents caused by large vehicles parked along business corridors. Speakers repeatedly requested stronger enforcement prohibiting overnight RV parking on certain streets and called for coordinated, compassionate solutions for unhoused residents.
Council response: Vice Mayor Venker told the public that the city will consider the issue at a scheduled item on Oct. 20 and said the staff packet and policy options will be posted online. Council members raised scheduling concerns about making interviews accessible to more council members and noted the Oct. 20 agenda item for oversized vehicles will provide formal options.
Ending: Residents and businesses sought faster enforcement and safe alternatives. Council signaled that the subject would be considered at an upcoming meeting on Oct. 20 and encouraged people to review the staff packet when it is published.
