Morro Bay suspends RV/boat parking enforcement after public outcry

Morro Bay residents voiced their complaints loudly and clearly at a City Council meeting Tuesday night, saying they want to be able to park their RVs and boats in their yards and driveways without facing municipal penalties for doing so. The council listened.

After about an hour of public comment, the council opted to suspend enforcement of a municipal code that prohibits residents from storing RVs and boats on private property areas designated to be improper.

Instead, a review of the code will be handled by the Planning Commission, incorporating the widespread input from the community.

Under a new initiative to crack down on code enforcement, the city recently issued 97 notices related to RV/boat storage, giving residents a warning that they were breaking the law and explaining they needed to store their boats and RVs elsewhere. The code states people can’t live in their RVs, trailers or boats on their properties; connect them to utilities; or keep them in their front or side yard.

According to municipal code, the residents faced a $100 fine for a first violation after notification, $200 for a second violation and $500 for each additional violation — and subsequent civil and criminal court proceedings if they didn’t pay up.

The code enforcement issues evoked an outcry through 47 letters and calls to the city and more than 20 people who protested in public comment at Tuesday’s meeting. Private storage for boats typically costs $75 to $100 per month, they said.

“I was surprised when I got a notice,” said Rosemary Greenville, a Morro Bay resident. “So many people in the city are not only RV owners, but boat owners. A lot of money in tax revenues comes into our city through the harbor and the related boat activities, and people should be able to keep them on their properties. The city needs to take all of the considerations tonight and get a better look at where we’re going.”

However, another resident said the code helps ensure safety on city streets, particularly for drivers trying to make a turn.

“They create a visual block for drivers,” said Cathy Reitz. “When these vehicles are parked in front of the house or in the driveway, they’re blocking the vision of the drivers.”

Those in favor of enforcing the code said it helps maintain neighborhood aesthetics, protects access to light and air because large objects block views, and promotes safety, according to the correspondence received by the city.

The city didn’t set a date for the Planning Commission to review the code and consider where RVs and boats may be parked. Mayor Jamie Irons asked those in attendance to leave their contact information for continued feedback on the revised code.

“Code enforcement is a community-driven effort,” Irons said. “We want the community to help decide and shape how these codes are formed.”

In the meantime, the council opted to continue to enforce the health and safety provisions of the RV/boat code that prohibit people from living in them and hooking them up to utilities. Also, in extreme cases of violations that cause driving views to be blocked, the city will enforce the code with discretion.

The Planning Commission also has been tasked with reviewing the municipal law relating to hedge violations, which also has drawn complaints as being overly punitive.

Hedges may stand 4 feet 3 inches tall in the front yard if they consist of a solid block of plants (without gaps) and 6 feet 6 inches in the backyard. That law is in place also to help drivers see clearly as they navigate city roadways.

“Staff has received some negative feedback related to hedge height enforcement,” the city’s staff report stated. “Most pushback centers on people wanting to grow vegetation in whatever manner suits them or the fact they want more privacy...”

City Manager David Buckingham said the city code doesn’t apply to views blocked by trees and shrubs on private residences.

“We get those complaints often and I want to make it clear that we don’t have jurisdiction over whether someone’s private view is blocked by a tree,” Buckingham said. “If that’s the case, well, too bad.”

This story was originally published March 23, 2016 at 12:47 PM with the headline "Morro Bay suspends RV/boat parking enforcement after public outcry."