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Kelly Newcomer :   We had a problem with our Homeowners Association last year. a small group of us went on a door to door pertion to get it modified. We ended up winning and getting it so we can bring RVs and Boats into the driveway for up to 48 hours to load and unload before and after trips.B ut someone found a County Ordinance which only allows RVS to be parked in the road not in your driveway for only 24 hours. It is complaint drive so if no one files a complaint with the county then it's not enforced. Unforunantly we have such a person. I got in contact with the Good Sam Parking Rights Counsel and they sent me about 300 address labels of good sam club members. Only 20 replyed to the letters I sent out. We ended upgoing to the County Commissioners Meeting but they voted to keep the ordinance in place and not change it. Thats about where we stand right now. I just didnt have enough support from other RV owners to have a chance of winning this fight. It doesn't affect some RVers so far and they dont want to rock the boat. Not realizing it could somewhere down the road. Its very frustrating. Here is my e-mail address if anyone wants to contact me... rv4495@gmail.com Also here is the story as it was reported on our local news channel: RV owners fight county ordinance Posted: Feb 11, 2011 5:47 PM EST Updated: Feb 13, 2011 8:20 PM EST Click image to enlargeBy Don Logana - bio | email SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - Ever have a problem with what your neighbors park in the driveway or on the street where you live? There are rules. Especially when it comes to parking recreational vehicles. There has been plenty of debate when it comes to where you can park an RV, even at your own home. "It's an accident waiting to happen," Kelly Newcomer said of having to park his RV in the street. Newcomer owns a 22 footRV, but you won't see it in his driveway. "You can park it in the road but can't park it in the driveway," Newcomer said. A year ago, he and other RV owners petitioned their neighborhood association to allow recreational vehciles to be parked in driveways. They won, but say one neighbor began calling the county to enforce an old county ordinance to keep them from parking on their own property. Newcomber calls it a safety hazard. "I am worried someone is going to run into it or get hit by a car trying to walk around it," he said. "The ordinance seems to be very restrictive," Robert Barr said. For Barr, he thinks the issue comes down to property rights. "You pay thousands of dollars in taxes but you can't park your car in your own driveway," he said. So, the group of RV owners from Henderson Golf Community took their beef to Chatham County commissioner Dean Kicklighter, who brought the issue up at county commission Friday morning. After hearing both sides, the commission decided the ordinance will stay as is. "I understand and sympathize with both sides. I truly do and I am not a fence straddler. I don't even like politicans who straddle the fence," Kicklighter told WTOC. "I guess that's what you put elected people in office for to make the hard decisions." "He's one guy I won't be voting for come election time either," Barr said. For the neighbors, they are disappointed, but won't be giving up so easy. "I don't want anyone to get hurt and I don't want my RV damaged," Newcomer said. RV owners in Henderson Golf Community can park RV's on the road for up to 24 hours, but have been cited and warned in past years for parking in their driveways. A fine can cost as much as $100. Most of them, retired military, now store their RV's at Hunter Army Airfield

kelly rv4495@gmail.com :   Fight over RV parking rights feb. 10th 2011 SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Kelly Newcomer, a retiree of Chatham County Sheriff's Department, along with a number of other RV enthusiasts throughout the county, are fighting for the power to park their RVs in the driveway, reported the Savannah Morning News. A Chatham County ordinance allows the vehicles to be parked on the street for up to 24 hours, but prohibits the parking of RVs on private property in the unincorporated district for any amount of time. "It just doesn't make any sense," Newcomer said. "Either way, it's in front of your house." Newcomer and others who support the change just want 24 hours to load and unload the vehicles in the driveway, because doing so in the street is unsafe. Opponents argue that the 24-hour rule would be difficult to enforce and that RVs cause property values to drop. Newcomer got a slight majority of his homeowner's association members in the Henderson Golf Community to adopt a new covenant last summer, allowing RVs to be parked in driveways for up to 48 hours, which did not go over well with all community members. "It doesn't matter that they got it changed," real estate agent Judi Ross, who has called in several complaints to the county, said. "It violates the ordinance, which has superior standing." If RVs are parked in driveways, they can be connected to a house's electrical system and become "de facto homes," Ross said. Homebuyers also shy away from neighborhoods with RVs and boats parked in the driveway, according to Ross. Putting RVs in the street is dangerous, said Wilmington Island resident Don Harris, because it blocks traffic and visibility. "The motor homes are big," he said. "Unless people are slow going around it, it's very possible two cars can meet head on." The county has been hearing from residents on both sides of the argument, and the issue will be included on Friday's meeting agenda. "Hopefully, we can find the fairest compromise possible for all parties involved," County Commissioner Dean Kicklighter said. For the complete story from the Savannah Morning News,

kelly newcomer :   We are having the same problem here inSaavannah Georgia. Our Home Owners Association allows RV's in the driveway up to 48 hours, but a county ordinance doesnt allow an RV to be parked in the drive but will allow it to be parked in the road only 24 hours. I have a 34' class A RV its dangerouse to park in the road. This ordinance is complaint drived, and we have one lady in the subdivision who keeps calling the ordinance inspectors. I went to the Commissioners meeting in an attemp to get it changed but lost. Here in the TV interview that we did on our local news.....If youwant to contact me here is my e-mail: rv4495@gmail.com Saturday, February 19, 2011 12:35 PM By Don Logana SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - Ever have a problem with what your neighbors park in the driveway or on the street where you live? There are rules. Especially when it comes to parking recreational vehicles. There has been plenty of debate when it comes to where you can park an RV, even at your own home. "It's an accident waiting to happen," Kelly Newcomer said of having to park his RV in the street. Newcomer owns a 22 footRV, but you won't see it in his driveway. "You can park it in the road but can't park it in the driveway," Newcomer said. A year ago, he and other RV owners petitioned their neighborhood association to allow recreational vehciles to be parked in driveways. They won, but say one neighbor began calling the county to enforce an old county ordinance to keep them from parking on their own property. Newcomber calls it a safety hazard. "I am worried someone is going to run into it or get hit by a car trying to walk around it," he said. "The ordinance seems to be very restrictive," Robert Barr said. For Barr, he thinks the issue comes down to property rights. "You pay thousands of dollars in taxes but you can't park your car in your own driveway," he said. So, the group of RV owners from Henderson Golf Community took their beef to Chatham County commissioner Dean Kicklighter, who brought the issue up at county commission Friday morning. After hearing both sides, the commission decided the ordinance will stay as is. "I understand and sympathize with both sides. I truly do and I am not a fence straddler. I don't even like politicans who straddle the fence," Kicklighter told WTOC. "I guess that's what you put elected people in office for to make the hard decisions." "He's one guy I won't be voting for come election time either," Barr said. For the neighbors, they are disappointed, but won't be giving up so easy. "I don't want anyone to get hurt and I don't want my RV damaged," Newcomer said. RV owners in Henderson Golf Community can park RV's on the road for up to 24 hours, but have been cited and warned in past years for parking in their driveways. A fine can cost as much as $100. Most of them, retired military, now store their RV's at Hunter Army Airfield

cindy r :   I live in town of Dewitt, NY and in Jan 2010 they enacted a law banning any parking of RVs, trailer, boats, nothing in your driveway or yard. They have something called an overlay that will exempt certain sections of the town for parking of a RV/trailer for 22ft and under if you get a certain number of people to sign a petition (which we did for our area) They were very sneaky when this passed with only 20 votes in a meeting that was not advertised very well. They said you can park your rig up to 10 days per year. What a joke it takes a day to load and 2 days to clean and unload. Is there any way around this? I have already had to move my 20ft boat from my side yard that was parked behind a 6 ft. fence for 11 years bec. the one problem neighbor complained. Meanwhile 4 doors down sits a neighbor with 2 boats in his yard.

Bob of Darien :   I just attended the city council meeting of Darien, Illinois about this subject. They recently passed an amendment that restricts my 31' motor home to not more than 3 days on my front driveway. Mayor, City Planner, were very standoffish. It was said they don't intend to enforce the ordinance unless there is a complaint. That sounds very prejudicial. Can they do this?

sparky :   I think this is great for many Rv-ers i used to live in Norfolk,Va it was rediculous--now I can do what ever i want--cant be seen from the road--I now live in the woods--but not everyone can do that.

Pawtucket Local Yokel :   I don't know about anywhere else, but in Pawtucket, which is on a navigable river that leads to Narragansett Bay, lots of people have boats, with many more to come. However, there are a copious number of Self-Storage companies located in old empty mill buildings that are looking to make a buck, and what better way than by "encouraging" the city council to pass an ordinance requiring tax-paying homeowners with boats and RVs to avail themselves of their service. It's a real surprise that it got shot down, but trust me, it will come up again. At $100 per month and up per site, there's a lot of money to be made renting rundown rooms and selling storage.

Blueknight :   Great work by the people of Pawtucket,RI. I hope the people in Boulder City Nevada are reading about this victory.

Robyn Kirk :   I live in California. I can't park my new travel trailer outside of my house or even in the drive because of my home owner's association and even if they did allow it there's a new cityordinance against it. I think if they took a vote it would probably be against RVs because as someone else said many are jealous of the RV owners or they think it blocks the light or obstructs the view or just spoils the neighborhood. We live in a democracy so I guess the majority should make the decision. Makes me mad but I guess you've just got to go with it. Storage costs are a big item though. Good to hear about the folks in Rhode Island.

Chesney :   Isn't it good to see RVers winning and overcoming the prejudiced officials on the city council. Many of them are just jealous that they don't have an RV or boat. Good news and let's hope it helps other groups fight for RVers rights.

Newtown :   Good for them! a victory. Now to get Mayberry-on-the-Little Miami (AKA, Newtown OH, home of the FMCA) to rethink that stupid law that have that says that all RV's must be on a poured pad behind the front edge of the home. Note: POURED PAD, not gravel, not pavers and behind the front edge of the home. Of course, this is a selective enforcement, they pick on small campers but not the very large lawncare trailers