Unreasonable town ordinance

[bhelms7]

We solved the problem by purchasing a home in an RV port community.
It's sort of the...."BIRDS OF A FRATHER....." thing

Bob 03 m380


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Ryan Wright"
wrote:
>
> Gardner,
>
> I feel your pain. I am big on personal property rights and these
sort
> of things just hack me off. I can understand HOAs doing this, if you
> live in a neighborhood like that, that's your choice. But an entire
> city? I think it's way over the line when local government starts
> enacting HOA-style laws that affect the entire city. I'd say "just
sue
> them" but we all know that won't get you anywhere, except lighter in
> the wallet.
>
> I live in a city that's full of covenant-type laws, things that
should
> be dealt with by HOAs but are instead taken up by the city council
and
> extended to all of us. They haven't flat out said "no" on RVs yet,
but
> I'm sure it's only a matter of time. I was threatened for parking my
> RV on an "unapproved surface" - it was parked on hard, packed soil
> next to my house. That's, apparently, illegal. When I contacted a
> local councilwoman to ask why, the conversation went something like
> this:
>
> Councilwoman: "Because, weeds will grow around the vehicle."
> Me: "I've never had a weed problem. When one occasionally tries to
> sprout, I kill it. Come look at my yard, it is very clean and
orderly,
> you won't find any weeds."
> Councilwoman: "Well, YOU might be good at that, but other people
aren't."
> Me: "So I can't park on my own soil because other people don't take
> care of their weeds?"
> Councilwoman: "That's right."
> Me: "But if I don't park there... I can leave the ground bare, as
it is?"
> Councilwoman: "Yes."
> Me: "So what does parking a vehicle there have anything to do with
weeds?"
> Councilwoman: "They'll grow under the vehicle and present a fire
danger."
> Me: "So... Why don't you make a law against weeds?"
> Councilwoman: "Oh, we have one of those, too."
> Me: "So... Why do you need this law that says I can't park there,
then?"
> Councilwoman (obviously frustrated with me): "Look, sir... It's for
> your own protection!"
> Me: "My protection? Does the city consider me a child who needs to
be
> looked after?"
>
> She didn't want to talk to me after that. Suffice it to say I was
> threatened with $10,000 in fines and a forcible seizure of my home
by
> police force if I did not pave or gravel my RV's parking spot.
>
> I put in the gravel. I much preferred the packed soil. It was
> comfortable to walk on, nice to lay on when working under the
vehicle,
> etc. Jerks.
>
> Interestingly, I just found out the other day why they went after
me:
> A neighbor down the street thinks my RV is "ugly" and tried to get
the
> city to force me to remove it. They couldn't, no law to that effect
> (yet), so they came by and harassed me on minor details instead.
>
> -Ryan
>
> On 4/11/07, Gardner Yeaw wrote:
> >
> > Mike,
> > I'd love to build a bird house, but not enough property. The
side,
> > front and rear yard restrictions won't allow it. I really have no
> > reasonable recourse, I knew there was some sort of ordinance,
but no
> > one bothered me last year. I usually left it at home for 4 or 5
days
> > at a streach while I worked on it, and then took it to the
storage
> > facility where I normally keep it. It is a 20 or so mile ride
over
> > one lane back roads through a bunch of construction, so it isn't
a
> > fun ride.
> >
> > I am looking for a closer facility which will run the cost up
from
> > $68/month to $100-125, but I will save on fuel, so maybe it will
be a
> > wash. The problem may be that many facilities, like campgrounds,
> > don't allow you to do mechanical work on site.
> >
> > Gardner,
> > 78FC33
> >
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "mbulriss" <mbulriss@>
> >
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Gardner,
> > >
> > > When it's the town, you really have few choices other than
move it
> > or
> > > face the fines. If it's a home owner's association, you can
ignore
> > > them for a long time. Don't ask how I know! HOAs have almost
> > always
> > > forgotten/chosen not to enforce some other parts of the
covenants,
> > so
> > > it's tough for them to have unilateral enforcement of 'some'
> > > convenants and not others.
> > >
> > > You say it says you can't store it unless you have a garage.
Big
> > loop
> > > hole? How do you think the neighbors will like your new "Bird
> > House"? LOL
> > >
> > > I find it hard to believe that they can restrict the storage
of RVs
> > at
> > > private storage facilities when they also have ordinances
against
> > > storing them at home. Are you sure about that one? That's a
stupid
> > > double whammy that effectively prohibits ownership of RVs in
that
> > > town. Also seems like an ACLU lawsuit waiting to happen.
Doesn't
> > > FMCA have a lobby group that tackles such restrictive anti-RV
> > problems?
> > >
> > >
> > > Mike Bulriss
> > > 1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
> > > San Antonio, TX
> > >
> > >
> > > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gardner Yeaw"

> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Well, I guess some %@#$ must have complained about my Bird
in the
> > > > driveway. I got a registered letter from the town stating
that I
> > can
> > > > only 'store' it on my property for a total of five days in
any
> > year,
> > > > unless I have a garage to park it in. Seems a little
ridiculous. I
> > > > also found that they don't allow RVs in the local storage
> > facilities
> > > > because they are afraid you might live in it.
> > > >
> > > > So now if I am planning a trip I can't load up the night
before,
> > > > or pull in when I get home from a trip and take it to the
storage
> > > > facility the next day. And I just put in a 30-amp outlet so I
> > could
> > > > keep it on shore power when it was at home.
> > > >
> > > > Also when I plan to work on it at the storage facility I
normally
> > > > keep it at I need to have everything I might possibly need
in the
> > > > car or Bird to address all the unexpected surprises I might
> > > > encounter.
> > > >
> > > > Unfortunately moving isn't an option, I just spent a fortune
on a
> > > > new kitchen addition and other things.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Gardner
> > > > 78FC33
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>