Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Permits topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council declines extension of temporary RV permits for evacuees
Summary
After discussing that only two temporary RV permits had been issued since an earlier emergency authorization, the council voted against extending the program, with several members saying temporary humanitarian accommodations can continue under existing variances.
Ruidoso Downs — The City Council on Sept. 23 declined to extend a 90-day temporary RV-permit program for evacuees from recent fires.
Council members and staff said the temporary permit program, originally authorized during the emergency period for displaced residents, had produced only two permits in the prior 90 days. One councilor argued the city does not have an ordinance banning RVs on private property and that issuing recurring temporary permits is unnecessary when existing variances and humanitarian measures have been used in the past.
A motion to extend the temporary RV permits was made, seconded and put to a roll-call vote. At least two councilors recorded "no" votes during the roll call; the presiding official announced the motion failed and the extension was not approved. Councilors discussed allowing humanitarian exceptions (for caregivers or short-term needs) and whether the city should draft a clearer ordinance on RV placement and generator/noise limits.
Council members also noted the practical concerns cited earlier in the meeting: most displaced residents had found other arrangements and the permit uptake was low. The council directed that any more comprehensive change to RV policy should be drafted as an ordinance or discussed at a workshop rather than handled by repeated 90-day extensions.
Because the council did not approve an extension, existing temporary permit holders should review permit expiration dates with the city clerk's office to confirm status.
