Bluff reviews RV and mobile-home rules; public calls for clearer definitions and limits on generators

Planning and Zoning commissioners presented a draft ordinance intended to regulate where recreational vehicles and mobile homes may be located in town, set standards for RV parks, and provide a framework for using RVs as a form of housing. Commissioners said the goal is to protect health and safety while allowing RVs to serve as a potential source of housing and economic activity.

A Planning and Zoning commissioner (S5) explained the draft includes charts showing allowable zones, setbacks and park-size guidance and said staff tried to avoid overregulating small-scale uses while providing standards for parks. The presenter asked for public feedback on clarity and gaps in the draft.

Public commenter Josh Ewing (S3), who said he had read the drafts, raised several practical concerns: ambiguous definitions of "long term" versus "short term" (noting inconsistent thresholds cited in different sections), lack of a clear definition of what counts as a driveway and how many RVs are permitted in a driveway, and recurring problems with people camping in town streets and with generators running at night. He suggested adding the word "unoccupied" to the 24-hour parking allowance to avoid implying full camping rights on public streets and proposed prohibiting generator use except during electrical outages.

Nicole Croft (S8), identifying herself as director of operations at Verziers Partnership, asked whether volunteer or short-term staff housing RV spots at her organization would fall under the ordinance or be exempt, seeking clarity so her organization can comply.

Staff and commissioners said the draft will be revised based on public feedback and legal review before returning to the council; written comments are due by 5 p.m. Nov. 7.