Council approves ordinance updating rules on outdoor vehicle storage; members amend language to add motor homes

The Common Council approved ordinance 809-25, a rewrite of the city code section governing outdoor storage of vehicles, after adopting amendments to clarify which vehicles are covered.

Council members moved to suspend the rules and waive reading to address the ordinance at the same meeting. During discussion Alder Lawson and others flagged ambiguous phrasing that could create uncertainty about which vehicle types — travel trailers, boats, ATVs, UTVs, snowmobiles and similar items — were covered by the rule and whether certain items could be parked in front yards on paved driveways. Councilors suggested replacing the phrase 'said vehicles' with the defined term 'recreational vehicles' to make the text consistent and adding 'motor homes' to the list of examples.

Alder Finkler amended the ordinance language during the meeting to change 'said vehicles' to 'recreational vehicles' and to add motor homes as an example; the amended motion was seconded and approved. Police Chief Weiner described the revision as a needed cleanup, while noting potential implementation issues for enforcement.

The amended ordinance was approved by the council. The record shows the council intends to address additional zoning and code rewrites with professional staff as part of a broader update, but the change enacted at this meeting clarified parking rules for a range of recreational vehicles.