Dear Tom;
I was hoping you could run an item in the newsletter explaining a conflict many homeowners are having with the City and how it could affect all of us In Woodlands Estates.
Several months ago about 40 owners of RV's were cited by Code Enforcement for violation of a vague outdated ordinance which requires RV's to be placed in a side or back yard. The same ordinance does not apply to boats, boat trailers or utility trailers, which are permitted in driveways and front yards.
Enforcement has been at the suggestion/encouragement/ pressure of the City Planning Board, or more specifically, the Chairman and Vice Chairman (Bob Froehling and Keith Raym), both Woodlands Estates residents. Both have expressed on the record their distaste for RV's in our neighborhood. I have personally requested that they recuse themselves from any decision because of their bias.
Many of us cited by Code Enforcement had built pads at considerable expense at the direction of a code enforcement officer on the sides of our house. I did mine 11 years ago when I built my house. The officer at the time said that as long as it did not block the view of emergency vehicles looking for an address it would comply. My 24-ft. travel trailer is 50% behind the front plane of my house. What was interpreted as compliance then is now a violation. My neighbor Jim Tittle had a similar experience only two years ago. He built his pad after consulting code enforcement with the same result of compliance followed by notice of violation.
We have been to several Planning Commission meetings to protest this treatment but we are not optimistic. If the Planning Commission refuses to modify the ordinance it will then go to the City Council for review and approval as it stands.. The City Council is more likely to be sympathetic to RV owners. They are more likely to see the current disparity between owning a boat and an RV and where you can store it. They could decide Planning has been unfair or even consider more restrictive rules that could affect boat owners in a similar fashion.
We are not a deed restricted community. We are a mix or modest older homes and newer stilt homes. What we have in common is that we don't want city government telling us what we can own and where we can store it.
The Planning Commission next meets at 5:30 pm, Thursday, June 7. I would urge all residents to attend and watch for the item on City Council agendas.
Sincerely,
Kevin P. Mulligan