Motor home parking alternative offered

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- Recreational vehicle owners today will lobby the City

Council to ditch the permit system, which is up for official approval,

and endorse a law that puts some teeth into the existing parking

restrictions.

A placard program that allows motor home owners to park their rigs on

city streets for loading and unloading by permit only is up for final

approval tonight. Recreational vehicle owners said they will be there in

full force to again oppose the law.

The City Council initiated tougher parking restrictions for motor

homes after hearing from numerous residents that they are unsightly and

dangerous, and that some owners use public streets as rig storage. After

four meetings on the issue, council members narrowly approved a permit

system that requires a police-issued permit to park for up to 48 hours.

Councilman Gary Monahan said he will push for an alternative ordinance

today that more strictly enforces the existing 72-hour parking

limitation.

“I think I can get three votes on this one,” Monahan said.

Monahan’s preferred alternative suggests a 72-hour parking limit for

recreational vehicles, but requires owners to move the rig at least 20

miles every three days.

Recreational vehicle owner Bill Folsom, who has consistently spoken

against previous motor home bans, said that option is feasible.

“We realize that something has to be done about these few RVs that

need to be moved, and that seems like a viable alternative,” Folsom said.

“It puts some teeth in the existing law and targets the real problem,

rather than punishing everybody.”

To ensure the motor home has been moved, the odometer must be visible

at all times. If it is not, or the rig hasn’t been moved at least 20

miles, the vehicle will be ticketed, according to a report by Costa Mesa

Police Lt. Karl Schuler.

Schuler’s report states the alternative is easy to enforce and deters

people from using city streets as a storage facility. The burden of

moving 20 miles every three days will cut down the number of rigs on the

street.

Mayor Linda Dixon said she will ask her colleagues to delay the issue

for two weeks to get more information.

“I don’t think the staff report was clear on why the existing one

isn’t good enough and why the proposed one is better,” Dixon said.

In previous meetings, as many as 50 people came to speak about the

motor home ordinance. The majority were recreational vehicle owners who

opposed various bans on their large vehicles. A small but consistent

group of residents have attended the meetings to support the council’s

efforts.

Resident Nicole Boyd said the vehicles are a dangerous eyesore. She

complained that many irresponsible owners use Costa Mesa streets as free

storage for their vehicles and added that she wants the motor homes gone.

“If you own an RV, then you can afford to store it,” Boyd said.

Councilwoman Libby Cowan said it was the council’s job to act on

behalf of those who don’t love recreational vehicles.

“We have a responsibility to protect those who don’t want an RV --

especially one they don’t own -- parked in front of their house,” Cowan

said.

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 lolita.harper@latimes.comf7 .