Council hears from multiple citizens on camper issue

Council chambers were packed by citizens wanting to discuss the previous changes and other potential changes to the camper, trailer, boat and motorhome code at the Monday meeting.

Multiple citizens spoke to the council about concerns with the new regulations and what they wanted to see done with Erin Chambers, director of planning and zoning, giving a presentation about different options for the rule.

“Being unable to park on our own property, on our own driveway is a great concern to us. First of all we paid our taxes, we paid license fees, we pay insurance we upkeep our equipment, our property and we don’t find that it is in any way a defacing or not beautiful to the community,” said citizen Chuck Wagoner. “Our fifth-wheel camper is our home away from home. When we pay good money for a camper we don’t want to have to store it off-site because of the inherent dangers — theft, vandalism, rodents, bugs, all kinds of things can happen. They are too expensive to be kept out of our sight.”

Several other citizens also voiced concern about having their campers away from their homes because of potential vandalism or theft and the time it takes to prepare the camping for an upcoming trip. They also talked about their love of camping and how they take pride in their campers along with the large amount of money that has been invested in the lifestyle.

“My Escape is my home away from home, which is a 15 foot trailer. My teenage daughter and I have created so many fun memories with our friends and family while camping,” said citizen Terri Rock. “During camping season I keep my trailer in my driveway, safely tucked up against my home. If a decision is made to make the ordinance more restrictive it would greatly impact the ability for camper owner, such as myself, to keep campers on their own personal property. This would result in expensive off-site storage and would be extremely inconvenient for active campers such as myself and many others.”

Chambers began her presentation by reviewing the existing rules which are:

• No parking of watercraft, trailers, pull-behind campers in the public right-of-way.

• Parking or storing of watercraft, trailers, pull-behind campers prohibited within the front yard.

• Front yard defined as area between the front property line and a line drawn along the front face or faces of a home. Corner lots have two front yards.

• No requirement for being placed on hard surface.

• Motorhomes are considered vehicles, and don’t have location restrictions, but must be on hard surface.

•Campers/trailers being prepared, loaded or unloaded allowed in front yard for 24 hours.

She also showed what the previous rules were:

• Parking or storing of watercraft, trailers, pull-behind campers prohibiting within the front yard setback with the setback being a line even with the front of the home or setback per zoning, 25 feet from property line in residential areas, whichever is less restrictive.

• No requirement for being placed on hard surface.

• Motorhomes are considered vehicles, and don’t have location restrictions, but must be on hard surface.

• No camper/trailer preparation, loading or unloading allowance.

Chambers also ran through some comparisons with other cities including Grinnell, Bondurant, Pella and Marshalltown. Grinnell has no requirement for hard surface and no location requirement, in Bondurant residents are not allowed to be park these vehicles on the street but they can be located in front of the home and must be on hard surface wherever it is parked. Pella only allows these vehicles in the rear yard, unless some hardship is determined. Marshalltown allows them on driveways, but the must be on a hard surface even if located in the side or rear yards.

From Jan. 23 through Feb. 10 an online survey was available for citizens to take and express their concerns about the rules. Nearly 400 citizens responded with staff receiving an additional two letters and one phone call. Of those who responded, 42.96 percent said that they owned a camper. When asked about their aesthetic preference the least restrictive options were preferred with 39.7 percent said they don’t need to be on hard surface, and they should be allowed anywhere on a property. Only 9.55 percent said that they should be stored off-site.

Almost three quarters of those who responded said that they agree that motorhomes should have the same locational parking requirements as pull-behind trailers, boats and campers and it was about a 50/50 split on if hard surface parking should be required with 53.28 percent responding no. Finally, 72.29 percent of citizens who responded did not want to adjust the rules to the season.

Chambers then presented eight options to the council for potential rule changes. Chambers recommended the council add a hard surface requirement to the rules and consider adjusting the rules to best fit the needs and desires of the community.

After discussion by all council members, along with Mayor Mike Hansen and City Administrator Bob Knabel, several council members voiced a preference to go back to the previous rules and have items in question to be on hard surfaces and to add motorhomes to the list. However, a formal vote was not taken as it was only a discussion item.

“If we are going to keep the upkeep of our look, I think trailers or motorhomes need to be on a hard surface, personally, whether it is your driveway or it’s a pad in your back yard,” Council Member Jeff Price said.

Council Member Lin Chapé brought up the aesthetic issues of having unsightly campers, etc., comparing then to having an unkept home.

“I’m struck by the fact that we’re trying to present an image here in this community by how things look, how they appear, and I would compare a dilapidated or unsightly campers or mobile homes the same way I would look at houses that are unkept and I struggle with that,” Chapé said. “I think that if we are dealing with an unsightly property, be it a house or a camper or a mobile home that is the issue.”

Chambers said that the issues started when the city started to be more proactive instead of complaint driven. Knabel said that it was his direction to bring it to the council after the previous changes had been made and there was confusion from citizens about what the code actually said.

In other business:

• The council approved the purchase of three D&D program properties at 615 S. Fourth Ave. E., 1018 E. Eighth St. N. and 922 E. Ninth St. N. along with the property for the housing initiative at 920 E. Ninth St. N.

• A new Project Coordinator position was approved to implement the Alliant Energy Grant.

• A March 1 public hearing date was set to approve the 2015-2016 operating budget for the city of Newton.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com