Ordinance committee approves code cleanup to allow boats and RVs in driveways

The Saint Albans Ordinance Committee voted to approve a code cleanup that removes conflicting language restricting parking between the front building line and the street and clarifies where and how recreational vehicles (RVs), boats and trailers may be stored on residential lots.

Councilman Page, the committee chair, said the goal is to modernize outdated code while preserving safety and neighborhood character. A staff presenter outlined the principal changes: deleting the prohibition in ordinance 13-33.03 that conflicts with 13-33.08; setting setbacks of 4 feet from the front and rear property lines and 3 feet from the sides; requiring that RVs and boats parked in front or side yards sit on a hard surface (crushed gravel, pavement or concrete); adding a corner "field-of-vision" restriction so vehicles cannot block sightlines at intersections; and placing a proposed maximum of three recreational vehicles per property.

During public comment, resident Ralph Sims said he has kept a registered, insured camper in his driveway for years but recently learned it would no longer be permitted; he told the committee he has no practical place to relocate the camper because a gas meter prevents moving it into his yard. "It just doesn't seem right," Sims said, asking the city to treat lawful, registered vehicles differently than abandoned or unregistered junk cars.

Other residents described frequent use of trailers and equipment and urged the committee to avoid rules that would be used selectively as the basis for neighbor disputes. Councilman Knight, calling in by phone, urged standards that protect sightlines and neighborhood character while addressing derelict vehicles.

Committee members and staff acknowledged existing enforcement inconsistency and said the cleanup aims to remove contradictory code language that could allow uneven enforcement by future inspectors. After discussion, a member moved to approve the changes as drafted; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote with no recorded opposition. The committee directed that the approved draft be forwarded to the full city council for consideration.

What the ordinance does and does not do: The draft removes the internally contradictory prohibition on parking between the front building line and the street and replaces it with clarified setback and surfacing rules; it does not expand building setbacks beyond those dimensions and does not change other enforcement provisions already prohibiting derelict or unregistered vehicles. Enforcement specifics and exemptions were not finalized at the committee level.

The committee's action establishes a path for the code amendments to move to full council review.