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City puts a limit on how long RVs, boats can remain in front yards

Council offers residents some options for storage

By Shannon Burkey

For many of Saratoga's senior citizens, one of the perks of being retired is having the time to leisurely travel the country in their recreational vehicles, sometimes taking several trips a year as they enjoy the work-free life.

But after a July 19 city council meeting, many senior citizens were concerned that their right to take as many trips as they like is being infringed upon.

At the meeting, council members voted unanimously to amend an existing city code regarding the storage of boats and recreational vehicles in front yards and on driveways. Under the wording of the original law, the storage of personal property in a front yard or driveway was limited to five consecutive days. However, many complaints were made against boat and RV owners who, after the five days, would then move the property for 72 hours only to then move it back for five more days.

In an effort to discourage boat and RV owners from storing their property for extended periods of time, the council amended the existing regulation and established both a "consecutive day" storage limit and a "total calendar year storage days" limit.

In the amended ordinance, storage of a boat or RV is limited to five consecutive days and a total of 18 days per calendar year for storage in the front yard or driveway. However, property owners can store their items in their side or back yards permanently or in the front yard with appropriate screening, such as fencing or compact evergreen hedges.

But as many residents pointed out, it normally takes between one to three days both before and after a trip to prepare. For those residents who take several trips a year, it just is not enough time.

Saratoga resident Jim Todd, 70, has been an RV owner for 20 years and takes between five and six trips a year. He said that he is not happy about the number of days that he is being allotted and that the council's decision did not take into consideration the upkeep of RVs.

"They don't realize the time we need in the front yard is time to get ready," Todd said. "Eighteen days is about 5 percent of the year. At that rate, if this was your house, you would get 1.5 days per month to clean it."

Retired Saratoga resident Harry Carlson explained to the council that seniors have a different use of RVs than that of working residents and asked that they be granted a permanent exception.

"Because of our age, it takes a while to prepare our RV before and after each trip," Carlson said. "We can't work that fast, and we don't want to work that fast. We want to enjoy our RVs when we want to."

Although many elderly RV owners said the number of days they are allowed to have their vehicles on their property, may put a damper on their travel plans, they are not the only ones who do not agree with the number of storage days permitted.

Boat owner Eileen Evan said that boat and RV owners will now have to find commercial lots to store their property and there just is not room anywhere near Saratoga. Because of the lack of space to store boats and RVs, Evan said that she feels essentially the council is saying that people have to sell their boats or RVs.

"People have worked very hard for this American dream and are being told they can't use their own property," Evan said.

Councilwoman Ann Waltonsmith said the council is not saying that people cannot use their boats or RVs or park on their property; the option to park in the back or side yard or provide screening still exists.

Although a number of residents spoke at the meeting against the ruling, others said they were happy to see the city finally doing something about the problem and hope that the law is going to be enforced.