Someone wanting to live long-term in a recreational vehicle within Great Bend will have to do so at a campground, RV park or mobile home park after the City Council Monday night approved an ordinance establishing this requirement.

Existing ordinances and regulations could be interpreted to prohibit the use of an RV parked on a lot as a residence. However, they do not clearly do so, City Attorney Allen Glendenning said. 

A complaint was made to the Code Enforcement Office about a trailer in the side yard of a residence being used as a residence for a family member. When the city code enforcement officer contacted the owner, he came before the council a few weeks ago and argued that the existing ordinances and regulation do not prohibit the use of on RV as a residence. Glendenning said.

Since then, the city clerk and the zoning enforcement officer have received complaints about new instances of RVs being set up as dwellings. 

“The use of RVs in this manner creates problems and potential problems with the esthetics of the neighborhoods, the stringing of cables and hoses across yards, and substandard and potentially hazardous and unsanitary utility connections,” Glendenning said. “It also creates enforcement issues with other regulations such as zoning regulations prohibiting more than one residence on a lot.”

Because the issue is murky, city officials presented the ordinance to clearly state that this is not permitted. Those uses already existing as of Oct. 1 are grandfathered in, Glendenning said.

According to the new ordinance “no person shall reside in, live in, use as a residence, or use as a dwelling, any recreational vehicle parked within the corporate limits of the city, except within a campground RV park or mobile home park for which a conditional use permit has been obtained. The provisions of this section shall not apply if the person proves that the use was established on or before Oct. 1, 2022.”

However. “a person visiting a residence in the city limits, upon application for and the issuance of a permit by the zoning enforcement official, may park and/or reside in one visiting recreational vehicle in the driveway of the dwelling being visited for a period not to exceed 21 days.” 

These can’t be renewed nor can another be issued for the same RV at the same location within the calendar year. 

There shall be no charge for such a temporary permit.