Charleston plans townwide cleanup and stricter nuisance enforcement, warns against long-term RV parking

Charleston — The Charleston Town Council on May 7 outlined a stepped approach to enforcing the town’s nuisance and land-use rules, including a plan to mail letters to all residents giving 30 days to comply, a 10-day final notice, and the possibility the town will clear rights-of-way and bill property owners for cleanup costs.

Mayor Doug Clements proposed making June an annual town cleanup month and said the town will provide dumpsters and coordinate with Wasatch County to truck waste at no charge, saving about $200 per dumpster. The council also discussed working with an attorney to hire a third-party company to handle code-violation compliance so volunteerors and staff are less burdened.

The mayor singled out long-term recreational vehicle parking in residential areas and raised environmental concerns about improper sewage disposal from those units. "This is a warning to make the necessary corrections," Mayor Clements said, and he added that citations would be issued soon if violations continued. Staff noted that violations may be handled as criminal or civil matters but generally prefer civil proceedings.

The council did not adopt an enforcement ordinance at the meeting; rather, it approved the procedural approach and directed staff to proceed with notices and logistics for the cleanup program.