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
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

[Mr. Wolf]

This kind of stuff hacks me off so much! There was a fellow I knew
that had a similiar issue with a classic car he was restoring. Of
course, just like you a neighbor complained. You should check on the
laws requirements. He found out that if he moved it into the
backyard where it wasn't visible behind his fence, the law allowed
him to do whatever he wanted. Now, it would have to be a mighty tall
fence for your RV, but what do they classify as a garage? Could you
get away with one of those temporary garages that they sell now? You
know the ones, it's just a pipe structure covered in white fabric.
It's not a permanent structure so would probably not fall under the
laws governing building close to your neighbors, and it would cover
your entire RV...and maybe tick off your crying neighbor a little.
Of course, I'd make sure it met all the requirements of the laws
before I spent the money on it...

Joshua Long
1978FC32
San Antonio TX

--- 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
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

[Ryan Wright]

On 4/16/07, Mr. Wolf wrote:
>
> him to do whatever he wanted. Now, it would have to be a mighty tall
> fence for your RV, but what do they classify as a garage? Could you
> get away with one of those temporary garages that they sell now?

Not with the dirt. That was their only leg to stand on - I was parked
on an "unapproved surface." Now that I've graveled the thing, they
can't touch me. Until they pass another law, in which case, I'll
either take them to court, lambaste them in the public eye, or simply
sell my home and move across the river where city officials are higher
on the decency scale.

It's really my own fault. I knew this particular city was run by
idiots when I built my home here 7 years ago. Problem is I love my
neighborhood, I have many friends here and the location is perfect.

> and maybe tick off your crying neighbor a little.

Or, I could set her house on fire. Oops, did I say that out loud? ;-)

I'm kidding, I'm kidding...

Technically, I think I could park the RV on the street in front of her
house. It has to be moved every 36 hours - can't stay in one spot
longer than that - but that's OK. I'll take the old girl around the
block a couple times a week to "exercise the engine" and re-park. ;-)

-Ryan