Town Board slams brakes on RV parking

By JEFF MORRIS 

After a number of fits and starts, the Town Board has passed a revision to town code that will specifically limit the parking of recreational vehicles on public roads.

The measure was prompted by one person parking an RV in Katonah.

At the March 3 meeting, it took all of about three minutes to reopen and close a public hearing on the amendment, and then vote to pass it.

The revised ordinance is intended to “clarify certain provisions relating to the parking of Industrial, Commercial and certain oversized Recreational Vehicles that are prohibited or restricted from parking on any public street or right of way in districts zoned residential or Town parking lots.” 

Such prohibitions and restrictions are necessary, it says, “to ensure that Industrial and Commercial vehicles and oversized Recreational Vehicles do not create a potential hazard or safety issue on local roadways in districts zoned residential and in Town parking lots.”

The prohibition applies to “Commercial or Industrial Vehicles over 20 feet in length (which shall include any attachments to such vehicle)” and specifically references recreational vehicles “if the Recreational Vehicle is Oversized, which for the purpose of this section means designated as ‘Class A’, ‘Class C’ or ‘Fifth Wheel’.”

It makes an exception for “a vehicle parked temporarily for the purpose of loading or unloading or where temporarily authorized by the Town Supervisor or his or her designee.” Areas where such oversized RVs are permitted to park are town lots 2 or 3 or the town commuter parking area on Railroad Avenue, in accordance with posted regulations, for a period not to exceed three consecutive days. And it says any such vehicle that has been removed from a permitted town parking area “shall not return to the same Town parking area until at least 48 hours have elapsed from the time of removal, unless written authorization is granted by the Town Supervisor or his or her designee.”

“This came about because of one individual,” said Supervisor Ellen Calves. “We said we couldn’t change the law for one individual, it had to be comprehensive, and this is how long it takes to do it right.” 

She said there was “maybe one extra meeting” but that’s how long it took to legislate around one particular thing that would apply to everyone. “I think we did get it right,” she said. “Should large RVs park on our streets, now we have a law.”

Complaints were lodged last year by a number of Katonah residents about an RV in which someone had been living and which had been parking in their neighborhood for months. According to board members, the person in the RV had rejected offers of any kind of services, and the presence of the oversized vehicle on the street was a safety hazard. Items pertaining to an RV parked on Katonah streets and the person occupying it had also appeared in police reports.

The proposed code revision was the subject of board discussions and hearings at the Dec. 16, Jan. 20, Feb. 3 and Feb. 17 Town Board meetings, and was also referred to the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals for their comments. 

The law was to take effect immediately upon filing with the Office of the Secretary of State.