Ordinance meeting to draw boat, RV owners
ANTIOCH: Officials to discuss how firmly to enforce rule, possibly modifying language
By Simon Read
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
Boat and RV owners are expected to turn out in large numbers at tonight's City Council meeting to protest an ordinance prohibiting homeowners from parking their recreational vehicles on driveways and in yards.
"We want them to repeal this ordinance," said Antioch resident Steve Gross, a boat and RV owner. "It's unbelievable. I've had my RV for four years and my boat for 12 years. One of the reasons I bought my house was because of the RV parking."
Gross said he anticipates more than 100 fellow boat and RV owners to attend the meeting.
City leaders will discuss the future direction of the ordinance. Before the council are several options, including a modification of the ordinance to allow for more lenient enforcement or direct the city's code enforcement department to enforce the ordinance on a complaint-driven basis only.
Other options include researching various waterfront communities beyond East County to see how they approach the issue and directing the city staff to develop alternative standards of enforcement such as size, height and condition of the vehicles.
The RV ordinance is one facet of the city's new proactive campaign against neighborhood blight -- though many have argued recreational vehicles do not constitute an eyesore.
The first voices of discontent were heard in early January, when the city sent out thousands of mailers warning residents that trailers, campers and boats parked in front of homes violate Antioch's revamped municipal code.
The ordinance bars such vehicles from being parked in a location where they're visible from the street.
Although the city is currently issuing warnings, officials said, it is not citing people. Regardless, a strong and organized opposition to the ordinance has sprung up in recent months despite the fact Pittsburg, Brentwood, Bay Point, Discovery Bay and Bethel Island have similar rules in place.
"Each of these communities described their enforcement actions as 'strongly enforced,'" said a city staff report. "The city of Oakley is currently considering such an ordinance."
Council members Arne Simonsen and Jim Davis have said they are not opposed to RV parking in front of the home as long as the vehicle is registered and properly maintained.
"The purpose of our crackdown was meant to be on blight," Simonsen said. "I'd like to direct staff to do what the whole purpose of this thing was in the first place: to go after homes with overgrown yards and trash piled up. Instead, it's been skewed to this RV thing."
Simon Read covers Antioch. Reach him at 925-779-7166 or sread@cctimes.com.
IF YOU GO
• WHAT: Antioch City Council
• WHERE: Council Chambers, Third and H streets
• WHEN: 7 p.m. Tuesday
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Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Ordinance meeting to draw boat, RV owners
Ordinance meeting to draw boat, RV owners
ANTIOCH: Officials to discuss how firmly to enforce rule, possibly modifying language
By Simon Read
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
Boat and RV owners are expected to turn out in large numbers at tonight's City Council meeting to protest an ordinance prohibiting homeowners from parking their recreational vehicles on driveways and in yards.
"We want them to repeal this ordinance," said Antioch resident Steve Gross, a boat and RV owner. "It's unbelievable. I've had my RV for four years and my boat for 12 years. One of the reasons I bought my house was because of the RV parking."
Gross said he anticipates more than 100 fellow boat and RV owners to attend the meeting.
City leaders will discuss the future direction of the ordinance. Before the council are several options, including a modification of the ordinance to allow for more lenient enforcement or direct the city's code enforcement department to enforce the ordinance on a complaint-driven basis only.
Other options include researching various waterfront communities beyond East County to see how they approach the issue and directing the city staff to develop alternative standards of enforcement such as size, height and condition of the vehicles.
The RV ordinance is one facet of the city's new proactive campaign against neighborhood blight -- though many have argued recreational vehicles do not constitute an eyesore.
The first voices of discontent were heard in early January, when the city sent out thousands of mailers warning residents that trailers, campers and boats parked in front of homes violate Antioch's revamped municipal code.
The ordinance bars such vehicles from being parked in a location where they're visible from the street.
Although the city is currently issuing warnings, officials said, it is not citing people. Regardless, a strong and organized opposition to the ordinance has sprung up in recent months despite the fact Pittsburg, Brentwood, Bay Point, Discovery Bay and Bethel Island have similar rules in place.
"Each of these communities described their enforcement actions as 'strongly enforced,'" said a city staff report. "The city of Oakley is currently considering such an ordinance."
Council members Arne Simonsen and Jim Davis have said they are not opposed to RV parking in front of the home as long as the vehicle is registered and properly maintained.
"The purpose of our crackdown was meant to be on blight," Simonsen said. "I'd like to direct staff to do what the whole purpose of this thing was in the first place: to go after homes with overgrown yards and trash piled up. Instead, it's been skewed to this RV thing."
Simon Read covers Antioch. Reach him at 925-779-7166 or sread@cctimes.com.
IF YOU GO
• WHAT: Antioch City Council
• WHERE: Council Chambers, Third and H streets
• WHEN: 7 p.m. Tuesday
ANTIOCH: Officials to discuss how firmly to enforce rule, possibly modifying language
By Simon Read
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
Boat and RV owners are expected to turn out in large numbers at tonight's City Council meeting to protest an ordinance prohibiting homeowners from parking their recreational vehicles on driveways and in yards.
"We want them to repeal this ordinance," said Antioch resident Steve Gross, a boat and RV owner. "It's unbelievable. I've had my RV for four years and my boat for 12 years. One of the reasons I bought my house was because of the RV parking."
Gross said he anticipates more than 100 fellow boat and RV owners to attend the meeting.
City leaders will discuss the future direction of the ordinance. Before the council are several options, including a modification of the ordinance to allow for more lenient enforcement or direct the city's code enforcement department to enforce the ordinance on a complaint-driven basis only.
Other options include researching various waterfront communities beyond East County to see how they approach the issue and directing the city staff to develop alternative standards of enforcement such as size, height and condition of the vehicles.
The RV ordinance is one facet of the city's new proactive campaign against neighborhood blight -- though many have argued recreational vehicles do not constitute an eyesore.
The first voices of discontent were heard in early January, when the city sent out thousands of mailers warning residents that trailers, campers and boats parked in front of homes violate Antioch's revamped municipal code.
The ordinance bars such vehicles from being parked in a location where they're visible from the street.
Although the city is currently issuing warnings, officials said, it is not citing people. Regardless, a strong and organized opposition to the ordinance has sprung up in recent months despite the fact Pittsburg, Brentwood, Bay Point, Discovery Bay and Bethel Island have similar rules in place.
"Each of these communities described their enforcement actions as 'strongly enforced,'" said a city staff report. "The city of Oakley is currently considering such an ordinance."
Council members Arne Simonsen and Jim Davis have said they are not opposed to RV parking in front of the home as long as the vehicle is registered and properly maintained.
"The purpose of our crackdown was meant to be on blight," Simonsen said. "I'd like to direct staff to do what the whole purpose of this thing was in the first place: to go after homes with overgrown yards and trash piled up. Instead, it's been skewed to this RV thing."
Simon Read covers Antioch. Reach him at 925-779-7166 or sread@cctimes.com.
IF YOU GO
• WHAT: Antioch City Council
• WHERE: Council Chambers, Third and H streets
• WHEN: 7 p.m. Tuesday
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