Draft RV and mobile-home ordinance prompts questions on street camping, length-of-stay and generators

Planning & Zoning commissioners presented a draft recreational-vehicle, mobile-home and RV-park ordinance during the Oct. 28 public hearing aimed at defining where RVs may be sited in town, establishing park standards, and setting lot, setback and size parameters.

Commissioner Marshall (speaking on behalf of Planning & Zoning) said the ordinance includes a chart indicating where RVs are allowed and the dimension standards for parks. He described the approach as trying to allow RVs as part of the housing and visitor fabric while protecting neighbors through setbacks and lot-size requirements. Legal review was still pending, he added.

Multiple members of the public raised concerns. Josh Ewing said street camping has created health and nuisance problems in some neighborhoods and suggested changing wording so that 24‑hour parking rules do not imply perpetual occupancy of a vehicle on public streets. He recommended adding the word "unoccupied" to some provisions and said definitions of "long term" and "short term" were inconsistent in places. Nicole Croft, identified herself as "director of operations at Verziers Partnership," asked for clarity about whether volunteer and short-term staff housing at her organization would be classified as RV-park use or require a different compliance pathway.

Public commenters also urged limits on generator use, suggesting generators should be prohibited except during electrical outages to prevent noise disruption. Planning & Zoning said they will accept written feedback through Nov. 7 and that legal counsel was still reviewing the draft.

The council and commission did not adopt the ordinance at the hearing; it was presented for additional public comment and legal review.