Chapter 17.44 RECREATIONAL VEHICLE PARKS

Chapter 17.44
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE PARKS

Sections:

17.44.010 Recreational vehicle (RV) park.

17.44.030 Recreational park development standards.

17.44.010 Recreational vehicle (RV) park.

A conditional use permit is required. The ownership of the land must be under one entity (i.e., one person, partnership, firm or corporation). All streets and systems within the boundaries of the park, although served by the municipal system, are maintained by the ownership entity. Application shall be submitted to the city of Othello hearing examiner. In addition to the requirements specified, the application/development plan shall include design specifics of the park, as set forth and required in this section, including, but not limited to, the location and dimensions of each RV lot; the location of each RV stand (so that setbacks, yards and other open spaces and utility connections may be determined); the location of street lighting; the method for drainage and the location of all catchbasins and storm sewers; and the park landscaping plan. (Ord. 1546 § 3 (part), 2020: Ord. 971 § 1 (part), 1995: Ord. 948 § 2 (part), 1995).

17.44.020 Principal permitted uses.

Principal permitted uses include:

(a) Recreational vehicles used for temporary dwelling purposes;

(b) Buildings and structures necessary for the operation and maintenance of the park, or providing customary accessory uses of parks, including laundry facilities, office and equipment storage buildings;

(d) Residences for the use of a manager and/or caretaker responsible for maintaining or operating the park which may be either a conventional single-family dwelling or a mobile home;

(e) Vending machines and similar products and services may be approved by the hearing examiner. (Ord. 1546 § 3 (part), 2020: Ord. 948 § 2 (part), 1995).

17.44.030 Recreational park development standards.

(a) Minimum Park Size. The minimum area for an RV park shall be one acre.

(b) Public Access. Public access not less than twenty-two feet in width shall be required from the recreational vehicle park to an arterial or collector street. The hearing examiner shall determine on a case-by-case basis whether a secondary access shall be required. Secondary access, if provided, shall enter the public street system at least one hundred fifty feet from the primary access.

(1) Lot area: minimum of one thousand five hundred square feet;

(2) Lot width: minimum of twenty feet;

(3) Lot length: minimum of seventy-five feet;

(4) Minimum Building Setback Requirements.

(A) Twenty-five feet from a public right-of-way,

(B) Fifteen feet from the RV lot line abutting on an interior access street,

(5) Separation Requirements. No RV shall be located closer than fifteen feet from any other RV unit or permanent park building;

(6) Occupied Area. Additional lot structures such as storage sheds, patios and decks shall not be allowed;

(7) Interior Park Access Ways. Streets, driveways and other access ways within an RV park shall be constructed and maintained by the owner and/or developer of the park in accordance with the standards provided by the public works department. Interior park access ways shall not be dedicated as a public right-of-way unless otherwise approved or required by the city council. Interior park streets shall observe the following minimums:

(A) No on-street parking: one-way roads, twelve feet; two-way roads, twenty-two feet,

(B) One side on-street parking: one-way roads, eighteen feet; two-way roads, twenty-eight feet;

(8) Parking lanes shall be eight and one-half feet wide where provided;

(9) Cul-de-sac streets and streets designated to have one end permanently closed (“Y” or “T”) should have a minimum turning radius of fifty feet, or an adequate right-of-way to permit ease of turning;

(10) Parking Requirements. A minimum of one off-street parking space shall be provided adjacent to, or conveniently near, each RV lot. Parking may be in tandem;

(11) Street Lighting. Adequate street lighting shall be provided to illuminate streets, driveways, walkways and buildings for the safe movement of pedestrians and vehicles and for the safe night time use of such facilities. Installation of all street lighting shall be in accordance with standards provided by the public works department;

(12) Landscaping, Buffering and Screening.

(A) RV parks shall be enclosed on all sides with permanently maintained natural or artificial barrier, such as a sight-obscuring wall or continuous buffer of trees or shrubs, not less than six feet in height, except for those sides abutting public rights-of-way. Sides which abut public rights-of-way shall be buffeted with a perimeter landscape strip not less than ten feet wide within the required setback. Such landscape strip shall be planted or installed with a permanently maintained natural or artificial barrier not less than four feet in height. If an artificial barrier is installed, the remainder of the landscape strip shall be landscaped with ground cover or other approved landscape treatment, excluding pavement. The hearing examiner may waive all or part of the perimeter landscaping requirements if, due to the nature of the existing topography or other existing conditions, it is unreasonable to require a wall, fence or screen.

(B) All open areas of the RV park shall be landscaped. A permanent irrigation system shall be installed and all landscaped areas shall be continually maintained.

(C) A specific landscaping plan for the RV park shall be submitted as part of the conditional use permit application. Landscaping material shall conform to, and be installed in accordance with the approved development plan prior to occupancy of any lot;

(13) Utilities and Other Services. The construction and maintenance of all water, sewer, electrical, communication and miscellaneous (television cable, etc.) service lines shall be under the supervision of the department or utility agency having jurisdiction in accordance with all applicable state and local codes, policies and regulations. The location of all underground utility and service lines shall be indicated by an aboveground sign (or signs) identifying the proximity of the lines to the RV stand to facilitate service connection and to avoid damage to such underground services by the use of ground anchors, installation of skirting, etc. Fire protection, hydrant location, fire equipment access, etc., shall be approved by the local fire chief;

(14) Water Supply and Distribution System. Each RV park shall be connected to the Othello municipal system, with the appropriate backflow preventative device installed, and its supply shall be used exclusively. Individual water service connection shall be provided for each lot;

(15) Sewage Disposal. Connection shall be made to public sewer system;

(16) Electrical Distribution System. Each RV park shall be provided with an electrical distribution system in accordance with the policies and specifications for installation and maintenance of the electrical utility having jurisdiction;

(17) Solid Waste Disposal System. Solid waste collection stands shall be provided for all waste containers in accordance with specifications for design and location as provided by the public works department. Solid waste collection stands, whether individual or grouped, shall be screened from view with appropriate landscaping and/or screening as indicated on the approved landscaping plan;

(18) Signs. Signs identifying the RV park shall be in conformance with applicable sign regulations. RV parks are subject to all applicable building and construction provisions of this code, which include issuance of building permits and authorized inspections of all phases of construction and development.

(d) No building permits shall be issued and no construction of any kind to create, alter or extend any RV park may be initiated until a conditional use permit has been granted by the hearing examiner in accordance with the procedure specified and subject to the applicable regulations and standards set forth in this section.

(e) All RV parks are developed pursuant to a binding site plan as provided in Chapter 16.26. (Ord. 1546 § 3 (part), 2020: Ord. 971 § 1 (part), 1995; Ord. 948 § 2 (part), 1995).

17.44.040 Operational requirements.

(a) No RV lot may be rented or occupied until a business license for operation of the RV park has been obtained pursuant to Chapter 4.04. A business license shall not be issued until all required building, fire and health inspections have been conducted.

(b) Construction or development of all of the improvements indicated on the approved development plan shall also be required prior to issuance of a business license; provided, however, that the building official may waive this requirement if sufficient need can be shown. A performance bond or other acceptable security shall be required by the building official in order to ensure development as per the conditional use permit, for any improvements that are not completed prior to issuance of the business license. Such improvements shall be completed within a reasonable time, not to exceed six months.

(c) Prior to renewal of the business license, the building official shall inspect the RV park to check continued compliance with all conditions of the conditional use permit and shall submit to the park owner a written report stating whether or not the park is in compliance. The owner must take action to effect compliance with any conditions that are in violation before the business license shall be renewed. A violation of any of the licensing provisions of this section shall be subject to the penalties set forth in Chapter 17.92. (Ord. 1546 § 3 (part), 2020: Ord. 948 § 2 (part), 1995).

17.44.050 RV park administration.

(a) It shall be the responsibility of the park owner and/or manager to assure that the provisions of this section including installation of RVs and additional conditions of the conditional use permit are observed and maintained within the RV park.

(b) The park shall be kept free of any brush, leaves and weeds and all landscaped areas shall be continually maintained.

(c) Failure to comply with any of the requirements for administering a recreational vehicle park shall be a violation subject to penalties set forth in Chapter 17.92.

(d) No recreational vehicle shall be used as a permanent dwelling for indefinite periods of time. Removal of wheels of a recreational vehicle, except for temporary purposes of repair or replacement, is prohibited. (Ord. 1546 § 3 (part), 2020: Ord. 948 § 2 (part), 1995).