Bluff holds hearing on RV and mobile-home rules as residents raise camping, generator and definition concerns

Planning & Zoning commissioners presented a draft recreational-vehicle, mobile-home and RV-park ordinance at the Oct. 28 joint public hearing to set where RVs may park, how many may be sited in specific zones, setback and lot-size requirements, and basic standards for RV parks.

Commissioners said the ordinance intends to let RVs and parks exist in town in a way that protects neighbors’ health and safety while allowing RVs to be used for short-term stays and, in some cases, longer-term housing options. The draft relies on charts that specify allowed RV types, counts and location rules by zoning district and would subject larger or park-scale projects to conditional-use standards; the draft is in legal review and planners asked for public input on wording and operational gaps.

Public commenters raised several recurring concerns: Josh Ewing, who said he had stepped in human waste from street campers, asked the council to clarify where the ordinance allows parked, occupied RVs versus unoccupied parking and asked that the town add the word “unoccupied” to any 24-hour parking allowance so it is clear that occupying an RV on public streets is not permitted. He also pointed to inconsistent definitions of “long term” (appearing in the draft as both over 30 days and as a 6-month driveway-occupancy reference) and urged clearer limits about how many RVs are allowed in driveways and how the rules apply to specific properties.

Ewing also recommended banning generator use except during electrical outages to address overnight noise and air-quality issues. Nicole Croft, director of operations for Verziers Partnership (online), asked whether the draft definition of a “recreational vehicle park” would cover volunteer or short-term staff RV spots the nonprofit uses without charging fees and asked for written clarification so her organization can comply.

Commissioners and staff said they welcome specific written comments and that legal counsel is still reviewing the draft. No ordinance adoption vote was taken at the hearing; written comments are due by 5 p.m. Nov. 7, 2025 (office@townofbluffutah.gov).