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Liberty County adopts limited RV guest allowance in Unified Development Ordinance
Summary
The Board of Commissioners approved a redlined amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance allowing guests to stay in an RV on residential property for up to two weeks; broader proposals about owners living in RVs during construction were left for staff to refine.
Liberty County commissioners voted to adopt an amendment to the county's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to allow property residents’ guests to live in an RV on residential property for up to two weeks.
The change was presented by Marty, a staff member, who explained the redlined language and noted the two-week period highlighted in yellow. "This notwithstanding on residential properties and unincorporated Liberty County only, guests and visitors of residents of the property may bring their RV and live in it temporarily for up to 2 weeks," Marty read aloud as part of the proposed paragraph.
The amendment restores a provision that had been in the earlier Liberty County zoning ordinance but was inadvertently omitted, Marty told the board. Commissioners debated whether to also permit property owners to live in an RV while their house is being built or repaired. Marty suggested language allowing owners to live in an RV "for up to a year from the date of permit issuance," but commissioners raised concerns about long timelines, site sanitation (gray/black water disposal), and potential misuse in subdivisions.
Several commissioners favored a shorter, more-controllable approach. Commissioner comments moved the proposal toward a compromise: staff will draft refined language addressing time frames, permit requirements and progress checks. Meanwhile the board narrowly limited the immediate amendment to the guest provision and formally adopted the redlined UDO language that includes the two-week temporary allowance.
The board directed planning staff and county administration (Joey and Marty) to return with specific permit language and enforcement provisions for any rule that would allow property owners to live in an RV during construction or repairs. That latter option was left on the county's pending list for further drafting.
The change takes effect as part of the UDO once the administrative adoption steps are completed; the meeting record indicated the motion to adopt was made from the chair and approved by show of hands.
