Council OKs RV parking restrictions

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- The cheers, boos and hisses of previous meetings

regarding recreational vehicles were absent Monday as a highly organized

group of motor home owners formally supported additional parking

restrictions.

The group, known officially as the Costa Mesa RV Owners Assn., gave a

tandem presentation delivered by six consecutive speakers that expressed

their approval of an ordinance similar to that of Newport Beach. It also

impressed council members.

“I thought you guys did an excellent job,” Councilwoman Karen Robinson

said to the group. “I applaud your organization and the manner in which

you presented the information.”

City Council members easily agreed and unanimously directed staff to

draft an ordinance that would prohibit RVs from parking on any city

street, with a 24-hour exception for loading and unloading purposes. The

law has a loophole that offers a 72-hour exception to anyone who asks for

it, but police officials warned it is not as “user friendly” as it may

seem.

The council gave tentative approval to a similar ordinance in December

that restricted the parking of RVs on residential streets with a 24-hour

exception for loading and unloading.

The council’s decision to embrace that idea prompted RV owners to

flood City Hall when the law was up for formal approval. More than 40

owners claimed they were being punished for the abuses of a few

irresponsible people who store their vehicles on public streets.

The same folks crowded council chambers Monday to voice their approval

of the Newport Beach-like ordinance. The difference, they said, was the

special provision for an additional 72 hours that can be given by the

Police Department.

“We feel the Newport Beach ordinance is working very well and it

offers satisfactory flexibility to RV owners,” said Frank Leingang, a

member of the RV owners group.

Costa Mesa Police Lt. Karl Schuler -- in his sixth presentation to the

council in five months -- outlined a laundry list of options before the

council, including a simple ban, a placard system and tougher rules for

the existing 72-hour law. He recommended the city follow Newport Beach’s

lead but warned that a 72-hour exception would be difficult to attain.

The loophole is to allow for mechanical problems and other emergencies

and would not be available to anyone who simply asked for 72 hours, he

said.

Mayor Linda Dixon said she wanted to ensure the 72-hour exception was

granted for hardships only.

While most of the 15 or so speakers favored the suggested ordinance,

RV owner Bernard Ungrodd questioned the motivation for any new

restrictions, citing a lack of evidence or other information that motor

homes constituted a safety hazard.

“I would like to see some numbers that even demonstrate a problem,” he

said.

Council members have said they initiated tougher parking restrictions

for motor homes after hearing from numerous residents that the large

vehicles are unsightly and dangerous and that some owners use the public

streets to store their vehicles.

City staff members will present the proposed ordinance to the City

Council for preliminary approval after a town meeting on the subject that

has yet to be scheduled.

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

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