Hamblen County approves revised RV, camper and tiny-home rules, grants two-year transition

The Hamblen County Commission on April 24 approved a revised draft of the county’s recreational vehicle, camper and tiny-home regulations, adopting changes that separate storage rules from living-use rules and granting a two-year transition period before enforcement of the permanent-dwelling restrictions.

The measure, presented as “Draft Version 5” of the ordinance, keeps limits on permanent use of campers and tiny homes while amending storage rules. Commissioners removed a requirement for a variance when campers are stored in a driveway and approved edits that, among other changes, restrict storage to the property owner and direct family members and prohibit storage in front of a residence unless a topography-related variance is granted. The planning commission’s recommended provisions on temporary placement — including a 180-day allowance and a longer, renewable two-year placement option in certain cases — remain in the revised package.

The vote followed more than two hours of public comment and commissioner debate. Residents raised safety and sanitation concerns tied to several properties where multiple campers are parked, and also urged sensitivity to low-income residents who rely on campers while they build or save for houses. Commissioners and the county mayor repeatedly said enforcement will require bolstering codes staff.

Commissioner Kyle Walker, who chaired the RV/camper study committee, framed the measure as a calibrated approach: it preserves the county’s existing building-code prohibition on campers as permanent dwellings while giving property owners time to comply. Commissioner Thomas Doty and others pushed for clearer limits and enforcement mechanisms; Commissioner Sam Harville successfully proposed targeted amendments to the storage provisions. Several commissioners said they opposed “overreach” while also emphasizing the need for public health and neighbor protections.

County officials said the action does not change state building codes that define what constitutes a livable structure, and that a two-year transition is intended to give property owners time to secure adequate housing or make infrastructure changes. County codes enforcement staff, who commissioners said are currently understaffed, will be the primary agency implementing the new rules.

The commission approved the revised regulations and amendments; commissioners also instructed staff to return with implementation details, including enforcement procedures and staffing needs.

Supporters said the two-year window balances public-health and neighborhood concerns with compassion for residents who rely on campers temporarily. Critics warned the rules could still be difficult to implement without more code officers and suggested the county should invest in targeted assistance for affected households.

The commission’s action follows months of discussion in planning and committee meetings and will now be published with the commission’s recommended text and the specific amendment language for record and later enforcement planning.

The commission listed the storage amendments as accepted and retained the planning commission’s recommendations on temporary placement and the ban on permanent dwelling use of campers without bringing the county’s building codes into conflict with state law. County staff were directed to prepare clarifying administrative guidance and to identify staffing or budget changes needed to enforce the rules.

Commissioners closed discussion after the vote and moved on to other business.