Satellite Beach officials sent often heated recreational vehicle code enforcement discussions back to the Planning Advisory Board Aug. 2, but not before making it clear that current rules are likely to be relaxed along with a greater effort to educate residents on the rules rather than immediately prosecuting code violations.
The recommended changes start with a title change clarifying the codes are referring to boats, campers (RVs) and trailers. Formerly, RV was used as an umbrella term, causing confusion.
Front-yard parking of what is now referred to as boats, campers (RVS) or trailers will be prohibited, unless parked on a driveway and not blocking the sidewalk.
Other proposed changes include not counting the trailer hitch as part of the vehicle that needs to be behind the front home setback; extending loading times and for boats and campers with special provisions permitting loading on days next to holidays; allowing a landscape barrier to be used in lieu of an opaque fence for side-yard screening requirements.
“Staff believes these changes will provide some flexibility to the code and some reasonable latitude,” according to the report to the City Council from Building Official John Stone.
Concerning the related topic of code enforcement, also considered at the Aug. 2 meeting, the council had faced what was believed to be an either-or choice between “proactive” code enforcement, where city personnel check for violations on every street every day, and “reactive” where violations are required to be called in by residents before code enforcement occurs.
Partly due to the downturn in the economy in 2008, in 2011 the city dropped a 30-hour code enforcement officer position for proactive enforcement and went to reactive enforcement, a change reaffirmed by council in 2013 when staff reported the policy put the city “in a better light.”
City officials had contended that proactive enforcement is costly and alienates residents, but its supporters said reactive enforcement puts an undue burden on residents, allows for violations to continue for too long and that code enforcement is a city service worth budgeting in terms of its impact on the quality of life of its residents.
In the end, staff recommended, and the council voted unanimously, that the city take a less antagonistic approach to the situation, first educating residents of a possible code violations using door hangers to give them a change to become compliant before moving on to enforcement proceedings and possible fines.
“We believe that this strategy will maintain community standards, while preserving the great relationship the city has with our community residents,’’ Stone said.
Starting with a heated April 24 workshop, the issue has become contentious as some residents said the current strict code that requires RVs to be behind front building corners is problematic because most of the lots are smaller, with less than 10-foot setbacks too narrow for storage of RVs and there is limited off site commercial RV storage lots.
Many of those residents showed up and still spoke in favor of proactive enforcement at the Aug. 2 City Council meeting but the report on the proposed RV code changes – notably including the extension of loading times – obviously preempted some of the complaints.