MISSION VIEJO : Council Amends Law to Placate RV Owners

Residents concerned that their recreational vehicles could be ticketed if parked on city streets even for a short time had their fears calmed this week.

In response to complaints, City Council members approved a revised oversize-vehicle ordinance that allows RV street parking for up to 12 hours. Residents who want temporary parking privileges for visitors will have to wait until the Planning Commission reviews the issue.

Despite protests from dozens of motor home owners, the council on Nov. 13 banned truck and recreational vehicle parking on small connector streets, the city’s last refuge for large vehicles.

The owners complained that the new law was so strict they wouldn’t be able to legally park their recreational vehicles long enough to pack for a trip. Vacationers returning home late would be forced to drive to a storage yard in the middle of the night instead of waiting until the following morning, they said.

The changes approved by the council Monday further “define the ordinance,” Planning Director Clint Sherrod said. “It works for the benefit of all concerned.”