County limits TT length / width / weight

Hmm. Do any of you live in a municipality where RV ownership/storage is restricted? I live in a county that apparently isn't particularly RV/TT friendly. The code in the books were written back in the 60's, and limit 1) what residents can store on their property, and 2) how they store it. Summary:

Max length: 30'
Max Width: 8'
Max Weight: 16klb.
Where to store: Must be behind the front line of the house.


Fortunately...Trailmanors still fit the bill.

To the best of my knowledge, any trailer wider than 8 feet can not be towed without a special permit.

In California, towing a trailer in California requires a non commercial class A license.

In California, any trailer longer than 32 feet (a bit more than your 30) will not fit in many state parks.

Behind the front line of the house becomes interesting. You did not mention that there must be a gate or fences to hide it or to prevent children from playing around it.

So the only significant issue is storing it behind the front line of the house.

This now makes me wonder what the definition of the front line of the house is? What is the lowest cost way to extent the front out towards the street?

You think your county isn't RV friendly?

Where we live in NJ I can only have our TT at our house for a maximum of 24 hours for loading / unloading. And trust me, as soon as the RV arrives the police are called.. Fun times

Years ago I used to keep our popup in the garage and that seemed fine. That's actually why I'm leaning towards a TM now. I hate paying for storage, dealing with the police, and driving it to and from the storage lot..

If only I could find a way to make our garage door opening about 3-4 inches taller to get me near the 82" I'd need...

C.C.&R.'s, the bible for nosey neighbor buttinski's. Remember when it was your property?

Rant over.

I believe the maximum width is actual 8'6". I used to race catamarans (beach cats) and the widest boats were 8' 6" before you had to fold, collapse, or tilt-trailer them.

I live in a planned development. There are some CCRs.

When the project was completed, the builder turned it all over to the homeowner's association. So far, since 1986, there have been no meetings.

This makes the HOA dead in my neighborhood. Therefore, the CCRs are not enforceable.

To be able to enforce the HOA rules there must actually be an active, legally valid HOA. They must have a charter. They must hold periodic meetings. The minutes of those meetings must be recorded and made available to each member of the HOA.

Go ask to see all the minutes dating back to when the HOA was formed.

I am not a lawyer. Getting the HOA rules declared dead, when it is true, might require the services of a lawyer.

Originally Posted by PopBeavers

I live in a planned development. There are some CCRs.

When the project was completed, the builder turned it all over to the homeowner's association. So far, since 1986, there have been no meetings.

This makes the HOA dead in my neighborhood. Therefore, the CCRs are not enforceable.

Interesting.

In my neck of the woods though it isn't a HOA rule -- it's written right in the city zoning ordinances. Lucky me

Some years ago the City of Pacifica was considering passing some laws regarding where you could store your RV.

So a large number of RV owners parked their RV near City Hall and the Police station. They occupied every public parking space for more than 4 blocks.

City Hall got the message.

If I were in your situation I would be tempted to park on the street and move it as required by law. In my neighborhood I can park for 72 hours. Then I must drive it at least 2 miles and park it somewhere else, such as across the street. That starts the 72 hour clock all over again.

The worst neighborhoods are the ones with no on street parking allowed.

If it weren't for the high price of gas, I could also see myself being tempted to just keep driving around the neighborhood all night, towing the TM, making as much noise as the law allows. Not a good way to make or keep friends. Aren't you glad I am not your neighbor.

Interesting comments. I'm clearly not alone in this situation, and various flavors of this situation. Our limits are definitely 8', not 8.5'. Our limits don't require things like fencing or visually concealing the RV. Christ NJ sounds like a nazi state. I'm *from* NJ, and spent a quarter century of my life there, but didn't develop the RV bug there tho. Clearly, I would not get along w/ your neighbors!

I'm a little surprised to hear that the larger RV's require special (commercial?) permits to drive, as I've really never heard many people explicitely mention pursuing things like commercial licensing along with buying an RV. I guess it makes sense to have folks owe up to the same level of competency as others if their rigs have the same characteristics.

My ordinances are governed by the County, not the HOA. Thankfully, for alot of reasons, I don't have an HOA in this neighborhood. The county officials come close enough, thank you very much. While I find myself fairly conventional, I'd say I find it very important that I reserve the *right* to be unconventional, and if my neighbor's going to want to infringe on that for no better reason than he finds my tastes goes against his...there's gonna be a litte friction.

I can see why many folks here might be up in arms about trailer-owners-gone-rampant. It's a town that was built only shortly after the Colonial days...as in verry narrow streets. Understandably...people would get pissed if 1-lane streets are all of a sudden clogged with dozens and dozens of super-wide busses. I actually think the residents that cling to the outdated ordinances are doing themselves a disservice, because really...there's not much difference between a dozen 30'x8' behemoths clogging your street and devaluing your neighborhoods vs. a dozen 32'x8.5" behemoths doing the same. The former is perfectly acceptable by county ordinances--parked on the street for days on end, whereas the 2nd isn't. It's silliness.

I have the means to "play nice" with my neighbors. I have a carport in back that would house a nice class-c rig if I want, so long as I consider it a "commercial vehicle." Occasionally, I haul out all my motorcycles/truck/car, etc...just to remind my neighbors what a great guy I try to be.

[rvcycleguy]

Originally Posted by Driveshaft

Interesting comments. I'm clearly not alone in this situation, and various flavors of this situation. Our limits are definitely 8', not 8.5'. Our limits don't require things like fencing or visually concealing the RV. Christ NJ sounds like a nazi state. I'm *from* NJ, and spent a quarter century of my life there, but didn't develop the RV bug there tho. Clearly, I would not get along w/ your neighbors!

I'm a little surprised to hear that the larger RV's require special (commercial?) permits to drive, as I've really never heard many people explicitely mention pursuing things like commercial licensing along with buying an RV. I guess it makes sense to have folks owe up to the same level of competency as others if their rigs have the same characteristics.

My ordinances are governed by the County, not the HOA. Thankfully, for alot of reasons, I don't have an HOA in this neighborhood. The county officials come close enough, thank you very much. While I find myself fairly conventional, I'd say I find it very important that I reserve the *right* to be unconventional, and if my neighbor's going to want to infringe on that for no better reason than he finds my tastes goes against his...there's gonna be a litte friction.

I can see why many folks here might be up in arms about trailer-owners-gone-rampant. It's a town that was built only shortly after the Colonial days...as in verry narrow streets. Understandably...people would get pissed if 1-lane streets are all of a sudden clogged with dozens and dozens of super-wide busses. I actually think the residents that cling to the outdated ordinances are doing themselves a disservice, because really...there's not much difference between a dozen 30'x8' behemoths clogging your street and devaluing your neighborhoods vs. a dozen 32'x8.5" behemoths doing the same. The former is perfectly acceptable by county ordinances--parked on the street for days on end, whereas the 2nd isn't. It's silliness.

I have the means to "play nice" with my neighbors. I have a carport in back that would house a nice class-c rig if I want, so long as I consider it a "commercial vehicle."

I believe the width threshold for permits is 8ft,6". Motorhomes, and drivable units can be operated with nothing more than an standard operator license. Scary thought though when you consider some of these 40ft units are the same chassis and weight as a commercial tractor trailer rig but without the necessary training or instructions.

Originally Posted by rvcycleguy

I believe the width threshold for permits is 8ft,6". Motorhomes, and drivable units can be operated with nothing more than an standard operator license. Scary thought though when you consider some of these 40ft units are the same chassis and weight as a commercial tractor trailer rig but without the necessary training or instructions.

I'm not sure, but I think that in California driving the longer 40 foot MH requires a different license or endorsement. Most roads in California prohibit the 40 foot MH.

I believe that in California towing a trailer that weighs more than 15,000 pounds requires a non commercial class A.

Sorry to be just guessing. I am too lazy to look it up.

I do know that towing a 5th wheel weighing more than 10,500 and less than 15,000 requires a 5th wheel endorsement. This is what leads me to believe that a 5th wheel over 15,000 requires something else.