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Independence, MO —
John McMechan is enjoying the life of retirement, which includes taking frequent trips in his recreational vehicle.
But John and his wife, Lisa, cannot afford the expenses of having their RV stored in an off-site location, a cost he estimated at $100 per month. McMechan, who lives in the 12000 block of East 34th Street, and his neighbor, Carlene Roberts, spoke before the Independence City Council Monday night in opposition to a proposed change to the city’s RV rules. Roberts said she does not mind having the McMechans’ RV parked in her neighborhood.
The proposed change, which received support from the Planning Commission on July 24, would not allow the parking of RVs – including motor homes, boats, pop-up campers, personal watercrafts and fifth wheels – except for four days during a 30-day time frame.
“It would be really hard and an inconvenience for us to just only have it parked in our driveway four days out of the month,” McMechan said, “because we don’t know from time to time when we are going to travel.”
Parking an RV in the grass also would not be allowed, although RVs would be allowed in the side and rear yard with a 7-foot setback from the property line.
“We can’t park ours inside our backyard because we don’t have enough property to where we could have it in the backyard,” McMechan said.
Like many cities, Independence previously relied on a “consent approach” in allowing RVs in residential areas. The “consent to store” required a written consent from a majority of the property owners or occupants within 185 feet of where the RV was parked or stored.
“That was done for many years, until it was ruled that that was unequal treatment for property owners,” City Manager Robert Heacock said. “It was unfair for somebody, just because they might have been liked by their neighbors, as opposed to someone who had a neighbor who didn’t like them for some reason.”
When the Unified Development Ordinance was adopted in July 2009, the “consent to store” restriction was replaced, and now the City Council is being asked to consider an amendment that looks at the proper use of residential property in storing RVs.
“We understand that folks have made investments to have these types of vehicles and they want to take good care of them – it’s not necessarily a reflection of them as a neighbor,” Heacock said, “but there are other folks, however, who view them as something less than what they want in a residential area.”
But not everyone is against the change. Also at Monday’s public hearing, Leon Keil said he lives next door to an RV that is an “eyesore” and interferes with his line of sight when backing out into his street.
“You don’t let the 18-wheelers park any place, so I feel like these are just as long or a nuisance as an 18-wheeler,” Keil said. “I feel like the ordinance should be changed.”
The council will vote on the proposed changes on Aug. 20.
John McMechan is enjoying the life of retirement, which includes taking frequent trips in his recreational vehicle.
But John and his wife, Lisa, cannot afford the expenses of having their RV stored in an off-site location, a cost he estimated at $100 per month. McMechan, who lives in the 12000 block of East 34th Street, and his neighbor, Carlene Roberts, spoke before the Independence City Council Monday night in opposition to a proposed change to the city’s RV rules. Roberts said she does not mind having the McMechans’ RV parked in her neighborhood.
The proposed change, which received support from the Planning Commission on July 24, would not allow the parking of RVs – including motor homes, boats, pop-up campers, personal watercrafts and fifth wheels – except for four days during a 30-day time frame.
“It would be really hard and an inconvenience for us to just only have it parked in our driveway four days out of the month,” McMechan said, “because we don’t know from time to time when we are going to travel.”
Parking an RV in the grass also would not be allowed, although RVs would be allowed in the side and rear yard with a 7-foot setback from the property line.
“We can’t park ours inside our backyard because we don’t have enough property to where we could have it in the backyard,” McMechan said.
Like many cities, Independence previously relied on a “consent approach” in allowing RVs in residential areas. The “consent to store” required a written consent from a majority of the property owners or occupants within 185 feet of where the RV was parked or stored.
“That was done for many years, until it was ruled that that was unequal treatment for property owners,” City Manager Robert Heacock said. “It was unfair for somebody, just because they might have been liked by their neighbors, as opposed to someone who had a neighbor who didn’t like them for some reason.”
When the Unified Development Ordinance was adopted in July 2009, the “consent to store” restriction was replaced, and now the City Council is being asked to consider an amendment that looks at the proper use of residential property in storing RVs.
“We understand that folks have made investments to have these types of vehicles and they want to take good care of them – it’s not necessarily a reflection of them as a neighbor,” Heacock said, “but there are other folks, however, who view them as something less than what they want in a residential area.”
But not everyone is against the change. Also at Monday’s public hearing, Leon Keil said he lives next door to an RV that is an “eyesore” and interferes with his line of sight when backing out into his street.
“You don’t let the 18-wheelers park any place, so I feel like these are just as long or a nuisance as an 18-wheeler,” Keil said. “I feel like the ordinance should be changed.”
The council will vote on the proposed changes on Aug. 20.
