Oak Park MAC says yes to RV ordinance





The Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) gave approval last week to a new ordinance regulating the parking of recreational and other oversized vehicles on community streets.


The MAC began working on the ordinance 18 months ago after hearing complaints about motorhomes that remained parked in front of houses for extended periods of time.


The ordinance bans overnight parking on Oak Park streets except for a 72-hour loading and unloading period for trips.


Under the new law, RVs can be parked for three days before and after a trip, but the time away must last at least 24 hours so that owners can’t move their vehicles and bring them right back just to skirt the law, a practice that was common.


"It’s mainly to get rid of the habitual person who’s there all the time parked with their RV on the street every day," said Ron Stark, assistant to Ventura County Supervisor Frank Schillo.


A vehicle also can remain parked if it is undergoing repairs.


The ordinance gives boats and trailers the same 72-hour exemption. The parking of other oversized vehicles such as large, non-recreational trucks is banned altogether.


Oversized vehicles are those that exceed 25 feet long, 82 inches high or 80 inches wide.


David Chatfield led the MAC’s efforts in creating the new ordinance.


"The whole ordinance is set up to eliminate the unlawful storage of oversized vehicles in Oak Park," Chatfield said. "They should be stored in rental facilities."


Oak Park resident Bruce Freeman served as a spokesperson for the RV owners.


The county officials will review the ordinance and send it to the Ventura County Board of Supervisors for final approval.


–– John Loesing



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