Elk Grove Residents Push Back on City Council, Organizing Opposition to Loosening of RV Parking Standards



March 18, 2017 |  

In a widely circulated email, Elk Grove residents are being urged to oppose an ordinance that would loosen residential storage standards for recreational vehicles.

Sent on Thursday, March 16 from Elk Grove resident Michael Jones, the email urges residents opposed to the change to contact the Elk Grove City Council and the Mayor urging rejection of the changes. The email from Jones', who is active in the Laguna Greens Neighborhood Watch Association, does not appear to be related to that group. 

In his email, Jones wrote "There is a proposal to change the RV parking so that residents citywide will be able to park RVs behind the sidewalk and in front of their homes in their driveway and up to their side property line in front of their home if they pave it. If you do not want this change, please write the City regarding this proposed change and come to both the planning commission and city council to oppose any changes."

The RV ordinance would cover motor homes, all-terrain vehicles, boats and personal watercraft. Currently, the city allows storage on a residential site for 72 hours.

The matter came before the City Council after a resident asked for relief when it was discovered she could not permanently store a recently purchased motorhome at her residence. In response, the Elk Grove City Council voted 4-1 at their February 22 meeting to propose less stringent standards. 

In that meeting, City Council Member Steve Detrick was the lone dissenter. Detrick urged caution and expressed concern it could negatively affect neighborhoods.

Detrick noted that in 2012 the City loosened the regulations making them as "permissive" as they would allow. 

"The current rules are very simple and very clear to enforce, and I want them kept that way," Detrick said. "I respect residents that choose to own RVs, but they need to comply with all of the government municipal codes and rules of the CC&Rs that the property owner agreed to when they bought their property and recorded the purchase with the county title office."

Additionally, Detrick added that several other cities in the region have lower RV storage standards and he does not want to see Elk Grove have the lowest standards.

 "I don't want our community goal to be set to the lowest level permitted," he said. "There are public safety issues, pride of homeowner issues, respect of your neighbor issues and aesthetics issues and we need to maintain the highest standards possible." 









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2 comments

D.J. Blutarsky said...

Hey, we're a Destination City so why do you need a trailer anyway? We're already here! Just wait until we make the AAA travel magazine! Our property values will skyrocket!

Capt. Benjamin Willard said...

It is commendable that Mr. Detrick has taken a jaundiced view on this proposed change. Now if we could get him and his City Council colleagues to be enlightened on any of the host of issues that influence quality of life in Elk Grove, we might be able to make some progress.

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