Lodi City Council to decide how long an RV can park in same spot

Zane Grever shows his Winnebago Luxor RV on Thursday at his home in Lodi. Currently, the limit a RV can be parked on a city street is 72 hours. (Brian Feulner/News-Sentinel)

Lodi City Council to decide how long an RV can park in same spot

By Maggie Creamer
News-Sentinel Staff Writer

Friday, May 1, 2009 6:06 AM PDT

Comments (38 comment(s))

With his recreational vehicle parked in front of his house, David Vera walked back and forth as he prepared for a two-month trip across the country.

Vera usually parks his RV on Vienna Street for two days before and after trips, even though he legally can leave his vehicle on the street in front of his house for 72 hours.

"No RV owner is going to make the street our parking spot," he said. "We respect our neighbors."

RV owners in Lodi could see the amount of time they can park their RVs on the street decrease if Lodi City Council members change the city's laws.

After receiving three complaints about RVs in front of people's houses, Councilwoman JoAnne Mounce asked city staff at a recent meeting to study other cities' policies regarding RVs. Mounce said the citizens she talked to would like to see RVs only allowed on the street for 48 hours.

"I am a true advocate of when a citizen has a major concern that affects the city at large, it is important to be able to give that citizen a voice," she said. "This must obviously be a larger concern than what I may be aware of."

Mounce said she had not noticed a problem with RV parking, but wanted the council to look into it after she received the complaints.

A change to a city ordinance could further limit the amount of time an RV is parked on the street. (Brian Feulner/News-Sentinel)

On Thursday afternoon, Mavis Dockter had her RV in front of her house and was charging it for a weekend trip. In the past, she has received a warning from the city to move her RV before it is ticketed.

"They should clean up other stuff in Lodi, before picking on RV owners," she said.

She said it irritates her to almost receive a ticket on her RV when other homeowners fill their front yards with trash and junk.

Lodi has more time built into its ordinance than most cities City Attorney Steve Schwabauer has looked at. He said most of the ordinances have a 24- to 48-hour limit.

After he compiles a report on other cities' policies, the council will consider what type of restrictions it wants to adopt.

Vera, who has owned RVs since 1977, usually parks them at a church near his home. He said he thinks the rule limiting RVs to only 72 hours in front of houses is a technical issue.

"You can take it to shop for a half a day, and then park it again," he said.

Describing it as the "missing part of the ordinance," Councilman Phil Katzakian also asked city staff to add a requirement that RVs be moved for a certain amount of time before being parked again in the same spot. His neighborhood requires RVs to be moved for at least 72 hours.

Lodi's RV issue at a glance

Current policy: All vehicles can only be parked on a city street for 72 hours at a time. To avoid this rule, people will often drive their vehicle briefly and park in the same space.

Proposed changes: The Lodi City Council will consider decreasing the amount of time recreational vehicles are allowed on the street.

Councilman Phil Katzakian also recommended the city add a requirement that the RVs must be moved for a certain amount of time before being parked again in the same place.

News-Sentinel staff

While he understands people need to load and unload, RVs in front of houses can be inconvenient, Katzakian said. He specifically mentioned some of the newer developments that have narrow streets.

"Some of the streets, I'm surprised that you can have RVs in the front. It's tough when people bring them home in my neighborhood and let them sit for three days," Katzakian said.

While washing his car's windows in front of his house, Zane Grever said he is lucky to have a driveway that can fit his Luxor Winnebago and his son's RV when he visits.

"I feel for people who buy motor homes and trailers but have nowhere to keep them," he said.

While he thinks 72 hours is enough time for residents to load and unload for trips, he wishes more time could be allowed for people who come and visit.

"If people are visiting, give them two weeks," he said. "They could be coming from New York or Kentucky or who knows where?"

Contact reporter Maggie Creamer at maggiec@lodinews.com or read her blog at www.lodinews.com/blog/citybuzz.

Reader Feedback

Bob Loblaw wrote on May 8, 2009 11:43 AM:

" Watch out journey. Remember that X-Files episode about the master planned community? It could be you next.... "

Archives

Story Tools

Indexes