Sean C. Morgan
Under the latest draft of an ordinance proposal to be submitted to the City Council, owners will be able to stay in their recreational vehicles for up to 60 days each year.
Currently, the city’s ordinance limits the use of RVs to seven days annually.
After seven days, someone staying in an RV will need to obtain permits for additional time up to the maximum of 60 days.
The city’s Public Safety Committee has been considering the new rules and met on Sept. 23 to consider the latest draft.
The City Council referred the matter to the Planning Commission and the Public Safety Committee after Brady Pickle petitioned the council earlier this year to allow RV owners to use their RVs more. He approached the council after a complaint that he was staying in an RV.
He told the council that he and his wife travel several months at a time. His grandchildren stay in his house to maintain security while they are gone.
Pickle told the council that they stay in their RV when they return to Sweet Home. They stay a few weeks each time they return.
City Attorney Robert Snyder said that city staff were discussing when an RV owner must hook up to city sewer. It’s a big deal to hook up for a seven-day stay. They settled on 15 days in the draft ordinance to trigger a requirement to hook up to city sewer.
Pickle told the committee it takes about 10 days to fill up a tank on an RV, and most people who have an RV already have a dump station available.
The building official will inspect sewer connections, Snyder said. He envisions a process where an RV owner applies, staff reviews the information and checks the property then a permit placard is issued stating the start and end dates for using the RV.
The city wants to make sure people have a sewer connection to use, Snyder said. “A lot of times, they won’t go and dump. Or when they do, it isn’t in the proper spots.”
The ordinance will go through another round of revisions based on last week’s meeting and then tentatively to the City Council on Oct. 14 for final approval.
For more information, call the city manager’s office at (541) 367-8969 or visit at City Hall, 1140 12th Ave.