The proposed changes to the city code pertaining to RV and other large vehicle parking on city streets goes back to the City Commission for consideration on Oct. 19.

The commission accepted the new ordinance on first reading during its Aug. 17 meeting and held a public hearing on Sept. 7.

During that hearing, a number of people commented for and against the proposed ordinance, in addition to written comment that submitted to the city.

Commissioners decided to postpone a vote during that meeting to potentially consider changes to the proposed ordinance.

The current proposed ordinance contains the following elements:

• New definitions for a class of vehicles designated as “recreational vehicle,” “utility trailer” and “vessel;”
• A new provision that only allows such vehicles to be temporarily parked in a residential district for the limited purpose of loading and unloading, with that “temporary” period being no more than 36 hours in any 7 day period;
• A provision requiring a written 24-hour notice to remove prior to the issuance of any parking citation; and
• Provisions incorporating the new parking restriction into the standard parking enforcement framework of Title 10, i.e., enforcement of unpaid citations, the potential for immobilization of a vehicle in the event of multiple unpaid citations and the potential for enforcement of unpaid citations in Municipal Court.

As with other parking violations under Title 10 of city code, actual fine amounts for violations of the proposed ordinance would be set by Commission resolution, which includes a public hearing process.

Enforcement of the ordinance would be complaint driven, similar to several other code enforcement aspects of the city code, to include the existing process for junk and abandoned vehicles; large vehicle parking violations; all property maintenance code violations; barking dogs; noise complaints and more.

During the Oct. 19 work session, which is held at 5:30 p.m., before the regular 7 p.m. meeting, staff will discuss with commissioners some possible amendments, based on the commission’s discussion at the Sept. 7 hearing and input from individual commissioners since then.

One of those possibilities is a delayed effective date of the ordinance. Under the current language in the proposal, the new ordinance would become effective 30 days after adoption.

A second potential amendment would be the allowable parking time. The current proposal limits parking of RVs and other large vehicles to no more than 36 hours in a seven day period for the purposes of loading and unloading.

According to Jeff Hindoien, city attorney, the proposed ordinance includes a 24-hour grace/notification period, in addition to the temporary parking period, that must lapse before any parking citation can be issued.

The proposed 36 hour limit in seven days was based on a review of similar parking ordinances in other cities, including Butte-Silver Bow where it’s 48 hours in a seven day period; Costa Mesa, Calif., where it’s 48 hours and up to 72 with an extension; Buena Park, Calif., where it’s 48 hours for loading/unloading with a police permit; and Greeley, Colo., where it’s 48 hours, according to Hindoien’s memo.

A third potential amendment would be the addition of an exception to allow the presence of trailers for contractors of other service providers.

The fourth potential amendment would be to create an extension permit for a possible need to keep an RV, trailer or boat on a city street for longer than 36 hours.

The last potential amendment addressed in Hindoien’s memo is related to the potential fines for violations.

The proposed ordinance would assess fines as established by a separate commission resolution, the same as the code for downtown parking violations.

The current commission resolution on parking fines, last adjusted in July, established a $20 fine for non-specified parking violations.

Commissioners could take action and adopt different fine amounts for the new RV parking ordinance, but if they don’t and they adopt the proposed ordinance, the $20 fine would apply.

Here’s the background on the proposed large vehicle parking ordiance:

City Commission delays vote on proposed RV, large vehicle parking ordinance change

RV, large vehicle parking rule on Sept. 7 City Commission agenda

Code changes for RV, trailer parking on Aug. 17 agenda for initial review, public hearing on Sept. 7

City considering changes to RV, trailer parking on residential streets