Galt council hears hour-long debate over RVs, boats and trailers under Section K of municipal code

City staff and more than a dozen residents debated whether to change rules that prohibit storing boats, trailers and recreational vehicles (RVs) in driveways at a Galt City Council meeting that focused on enforcement of Galt Municipal Code 8.20.110, Section K.

The discussion began when TJ Gedati, the City of Galt code enforcement supervisor, described the city’s code-enforcement process and safety concerns tied to Section K, saying the department opened about 185 cases year-to-date and that 71 of those were directly related to Section K. “Our goal is always compliance. Even when we’ve issued fines, we always work with people to get to compliance, not to be punitive,” Gedati said during his presentation.

The debate that followed split residents and business owners. Rich Lozano, a Galt resident, urged the council to keep Section K in place, citing neighborhood aesthetics and emergency-access risks: “Vehicles parked inside or rear yards without maintaining a 3 foot wide continuous fire access way can hinder emergency responders during critical situations,” Lozano said. Other residents, including several boat and RV owners, urged the council to revise the ordinance so registered, operable and well-maintained vehicles may be kept on private property.

Supporters of the code noted public-safety and accessibility issues. Greg Davidson, who uses a wheelchair, said large vehicles sometimes extend into sidewalks and “block my progress” down walkways. Several commenters also said heavy, inoperable or leaking vehicles present environmental and health hazards if left unattended.

Opponents argued the ordinance is outdated and overbroad. David Givens and others said there is little empirical evidence that well-kept boats and RVs lower property values, and some speakers said prohibiting driveway storage forces owners to pay for commercial storage or exposes vehicles to theft and vandalism. “We’re just asking, please let us keep our property on our own property,” said one speaker, advocating for case-by-case exceptions for work trucks and mobile shops.

Speakers pressed staff for clarifications about enforcement practice. Gedati and City Manager Chris (first name only in transcript) said enforcement is primarily complaint-driven and that staff often seeks remediation and payment plans rather than immediate fines. Gedati told council the code dates back to about 1998 with later amendments and that the city added code-enforcement staff last fall, which has increased enforcement activity.

Several residents asked council to consider a narrower alternative to the existing rule that would allow well-maintained, registered, operable vehicles to remain on properties while still prohibiting visibly dilapidated or unsafe vehicles. Others urged maintaining the code “as is” for uniformity, ease of enforcement and to avoid perceived negative effects on neighborhoods.

On direction to staff, Vice Mayor Sandhu asked the city manager to bring back the topic as a future agenda item with options and comparisons to neighboring jurisdictions such as Lodi and Elk Grove. City Manager and staff agreed to return with proposals and research other communities’ approaches.

The council took no immediate vote to change the ordinance; instead, the council requested more information and alternatives for future consideration. The discussion combined a staff presentation on enforcement priorities and statutory underpinnings with a large public-comment segment that produced contrasting views about property rights, safety, enforcement equity and neighborhood aesthetics.

Looking ahead, Gedati said staff will compile comparative research and possible code amendments for council review. The council did request that staff include practical options such as a temporary moratorium or a six-month grace period if council chooses a phased implementation.

Votes at this meeting related to other agenda items were recorded separately (see the companion “Votes at a glance” article).