Background

Oct. 23, 2006 — update

The Covina Planning Commission has recommended approval of the proposed ordinance. The next step is for council to consider the item.

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Aug. 9, 2006 — update

The ad hoc committee assigned to study RV parking and storage regulations has completed its work.

The committee, composed of 10 Covina residents, forwarded a report Aug. 8 to the Covina Planning Commission with the following recommendations.

Front Yard Setback
An RV may be parked or stored in the driveway of a single-family residence if the entire vehicle fits over an appropriately paved surface without overhanging into sidewalks. For areas without a sidewalk, RVs may be parked at least 7 feet from the face of the curb or beginning of the paved street, whichever distance is shorter.

Side Yard Access
RVs must be parked or stored so that at least 3 lineal feet of open access is preserved in all side yards on the lot.

Parking Orientation
RVs must be parked or stored perpendicular to the front lot line. Where a residence is located on a corner lot with two yards that face streets, or rights-of-way, the RV may be parked perpendicular to any lot line that faces a street or right-of-way.

Maintenance
RVs shall be maintained in good condition and repair and shall not leak oil, gasoline, water, coolant, brake fluid, gray water, propane gas or any other fluids, gases or waste products.

Disposal of Waste
No person shall dump or dispose of gray water, sewage, or any other waste products from any recreational vehicle, except at certified waste disposal facilities.

Canopies
“No RV shall be parked or stored under a detached canopy, tent, tarp or similar structure.

Covers
RVs may be protected with an appropriate RV cover.

Parking/storing surface
No RV or any portion thereof may be parked or stored on grass, dirt, gravel, loose rock or any other unpaved surface. No part of the RV may be situated above a prohibited surface.

Overnight street parking
RV owners may apply for up to 48 overnight permits per year, not to exceed seven days in any month. Overnight permits may be issued only to Covina residents.

Residing in RVs
No person shall reside in a recreational vehicle, except in the case of a disaster.

RV hookup
An RV may be hooked up to water hoses or electrical cords for the sole purpose of filling up or charging batteries in preparation for an RV excursion. Such a hookup shall be permitted only if the RV is parked on private property in compliance with the Covina Municipal Code. No RV may hooked up while parked on a public street.

Exceptions
Exceptions may be applicable if physical attributes of properties prohibit the parking or storage of a recreational vehicle in compliance with the Covina Municipal Code.

Enforcement
Once adopted, there would be a six-month grace period during which the city would undertake an effort to inform the public of changes to the code.

Outlook
The planning commission welcomes public comment at its Aug. 22 meeting. Most likely, the commission will direct city staff to prepare an ordinance for consideration at a public hearing in September.

According to Jeff Kugel, assistant director of community development, the commission is expected to forward its final recommendations to city council in October.

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July 17, 2006 — update

The RV ordinance ad hoc committee will hold its sixth meeting this week, according to Jeff Kugel, Covina's assistant director of community development.

The committee was formed in May to study city code as it relates to RV parking and storage in residential areas.

Once the work is completed, the committee will forward its recommendations to the planning commission. The commission will then draft an ordinance for city council's consideration.

The entire process should take two to three months, Kugel said.

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May 19, 2006 — update

A panel of RV owners and non-RV owners will help decide how to regulate RV parking and storage in Covina's residential neighborhoods.

The Covina Planning Commission, at its April 11 meeting, discussed forming a special committee to review the Covina Municipal Code as it relates to parking and storage of RVs.

This ad hoc committee will report to the Covina Planning Commission on May 23 and will hold a public meeting June 7 at the Covina Public Library.

The commission received 18 letters of interest, with approximately two-thirds representing RV owners and one-third representing non-RV owners.

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April 4, 2006 — update

City Council, at its March 21 meeting, referred the proposed RV parking ordinance back to the Planning Commission for further discussion and public input.

The city manager had recommended placing the proposal before voters, but council said a workable ordinance could be achieved without an election.

An attorney for the Covina Residents/Rights Association asked council to postpone a vote so the association could meet with city officials.

According to the attorney, 1,700 residents have signed a petition opposing the ordinance.

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March 17, 2006

The Covina Planning Commission has produced several drafts of an ordinance that would restrict RV parking and storage in residential neighborhoods.

The latest proposal contains the following revisions to existing municipal code:

• No parking between the front lot line and the front building line of any residential lot. For corner lots that face streets or rights-of-way, both the front and side yards would apply to this rule.
• RVs must be parked or stored so that at least 3 feet of open access is preserved in all side yards on the lot.
• No overnight parking on residential streets, and no parking for longer than 30 minutes between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., except in the case of disaster.
• No residing in RVs in residential zones, except in the case of disaster.
• No connecting the RV to water, electric or other utilities when parked in a residential zone.
• RVs must be parked or stored perpendicular to the front lot line.
• No RV may be parked under a detached canopy, tent, tarp, or similar structure. An RV may be parked inside a permitted garage and under permitted permanent carports.
• No RV may be parked or stored upon or above grass, dirt, gravel, loose rock or any other unpaved surface.

Opposition
A citizens group called the Covina Residents/Rights Association has spoken against the proposed ordinance. In a letter to city staff, the association’s attorney conveys the group's views on each of the RV-related regulations.

"The Association feels that the city's proposed RV ordinance is basically an almost complete ban of recreational vehicles in Covina and strongly opposes it,” the letter says.

The association disagrees with the ban on overnight parking and proposes that permits be granted for up to three 14-day periods per year to accommodate friends and family visitors; and for up to seven days per trip so RV owners can prepare their vehicles before and after a trip.

The residents association asked that the ordinance be tabled and that city officials meet with their group to work out a full resolution.

Covina Residents/Rights Association letter to City Council (PDF 97K)

Existing regulations
Existing city code prohibits property owners from using their front yard driveways to store RVs for a period in excess of 72 consecutive hours. Or does it? In responding to citizen complaints, the code enforcement officers  found this stipulation unenforceable.

The existing code does not necessarily require that an RV be moved completely off the front yard. It states only that the vehicle cannot be parked for longer than 72 hours. Thus, RV owners asserted they could move their vehicles 12 or so inches within the driveway every 72 hours and still meet the requirements of the code.

About two years ago, in response to mounting complaints about RVs parked in residential zones, City Council directed the planning commission to review and update portions of the RV parking ordinance.

Following a year of study and several public hearings, the commission forwarded an ordinance to City Council on Oct. 25, 2005. The proposed revisions are meant to clarify portions of the code that are ambiguous and unenforceable.

Status: Because the issue has drawn considerable support as well as opposition, the city manager and community development director have asked city staff to present a schedule for placing it before the voters of Covina.

The RV ordinance was on the agenda for further discussion at council’s March 21 meeting.

Covina is located in Los Angeles County, approximately 20 miles east of the city of Los Angeles.

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City of Covina
www.ci.covina.ca.us