Evans residents can once again park RVs, boats and trailers on their property without any added restrictions.
The Evans City Council during its regular meeting on Tuesday voted unanimously, 7-0, to repeal the ordinance restricting where residents can park their RVs, boats and trailers.
“I think when we look at it from a bigger picture, we have an opportunity to write it to appease both sides,” Mayor Mark Clark said. “As the code is written now, I think the best thing to do is to repeal it and start over.”
This came more than a month after the council imposed a moratorium on the ordinance following pushback from residents when the ordinance went into effect on Jan. 1.
Tuesday’s vote followed a short discussion among council members and stemmed from a work session earlier this month in which about 40 residents expressed their displeasure with the ordinance. Residents felt it created a financial and regulatory burden that isn’t typical of the city and that city officials didn’t give sufficient notice.
The ordinance restricted residential lots to only one RV, boat or trailer, with additional requirements that it be stored at least 5 feet from the property line in the rear yard and screened by a privacy fence.
That was a change from the previous — and reinstated — iteration of the code in which there was no limit on the number of RVs, boats or trailers. Such vehicles are only required to have a current registration, be operable and be on what the Community Development Department calls an improved surface — such as a concrete slab or other safe, level spot.
On Tuesday, council members initially showed hesitance in repealing the ordinance, saying they didn’t want to set a precedent of repealing ordinances that may trigger a chain reaction.
The council members agreed the now-repealed ordinance brought the city closer to its overarching goal of economic development through enhanced community beautification, but it may have gone too far in its restrictions.
“We have made some hard left turns and right turns with this,” Ward 2 Councilman Jeff Crabtree said. “And it has morphed into something much larger and more invasive than it really should’ve ever been.”
A May work session to continue discussion on the ordinance was scheduled after hearing feedback from residents earlier this month, but Ward 1 Councilwoman Laura Speer said it wouldn’t feel right not to act now if they had the chance — a sentiment Clark agreed with wholeheartedly.
“I figure if we have enough votes to just repeal it now and start anew, let’s do it now instead of dragging it out,” Clark said.
The May 7 work session will still take place, but it will not be focused on RV, boat and trailer parking. Instead, Clark and City Manager Cody Simms want to explore setting up a citizen ad hoc committee — a group of residents who get together to discuss and solve problems with the council.
“It’s to address some things that the city would like to be a part of and would like to address,” Clark said. “And what we can do to work in unison to promote some of these ordinances and work alongside each other. …
“That is going to come to fruition probably pretty soon.”
The ad hoc committee is intended to focus on a number of issues facing Evans — a new ordinance regarding RVs, boats and trailers being at the forefront of that.
“We love getting that feedback from residents because this is an onion, and this just happens to be the first layer we’re focusing on,” Crabtree said. “Because if we don’t know it’s a challenge, then we go on as business as usual.”
