Fullerton Municipal Code Ch. 8.46 Recreational Vehicles

The purpose of this chapter is to mitigate the public health and safety concerns associated with the parking of recreational vehicles, increase the availability of parking for city residents, businesses and visitors and preserve the character of neighborhoods to benefit the health, safety and welfare of city residents.

(Ord. 3294, passed - -2020)

For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.

OUT-OF-TOWN VISITOR. Any person who does not reside in the city who is temporarily visiting as a guest of a resident of the city and who has applied for a temporary RV parking permit.

RECREATIONAL VEHICLE (RV).

(1) Any vehicle or trailer which is:

(a) Designed, permanently modified or permanently equipped for human habitation;

(b) Designed, permanently modified or permanently equipped for recreational camping or human habitation for the purpose of recreational travel use, whether self-propelled or mounted on or drawn by another vehicle; and

(c) Any structure which is inspected, approved and designated as a recreational vehicle by, and bearing the insignia of, the State of California or any other state or federal agency having the authority to approve recreational vehicles.

(2) A CAMP TRAILER, as defined by Cal. Vehicle Code § 242;

(3) A FIFTH WHEEL TRAVEL TRAILER, as defined by Cal. Vehicle Code § 324;

(4) A HOUSE CAR, as defined in Cal. Vehicle Code § 362;

(5) A TRAILER, as defined in Cal. Vehicle Code § 630;

(6) A TRAILER COACH, as defined in Cal. Vehicle Code § 635;

(7) A MOBILE HOME, as defined by Cal. Vehicle Code § 396;

(8) A VESSEL, as defined in Cal. Vehicle Code § 9840 and/or trailer for a vessel;

(9) A PARK TRAILER, as defined in Cal. Health and Safety Code § 18009.3;

(10) A RECREATIONAL VEHICLE, as defined in Cal. Health and Safety Code § 18010; and

(11) A TRUCK CAMPER, as defined in Cal. Health and Safety Code § 18013.4.

RESIDENT. A person who customarily resides and maintains a place of abode or who owns land within the city. It shall not mean a person who maintains an address at a mailbox drop or who rents a room which is not his or her primary place of abode, nor shall it mean a person who maintains only a post office box, unless that person also provides evidence of residence at a street address within the city.

(Ord. 3294, passed - -2020; Ord. 3301, passed - -2021; Ord. 3322, passed - -2023; Ord. 3323, passed - -2023)

(A) No person shall park, stop or leave standing any recreational vehicle on any public or private street, highway or alley or public property within the city at any time, except:

(1) For a reasonable period of up to no more than two hours, but only while, during and in connection with the operator’s or a passenger’s actual patronage of a business or obtaining of services within the city, including dining, shopping, medical or professional appointments, or similar business or activities; and only during the time such business or activity is being actively engaged in by the operator/passenger;

(2) During a reasonable time that the operator is conducting emergency repairs; or

(3) Pursuant to a temporary RV parking permit issued by the Chief of Police or his or her designee pursuant to this chapter.

(B) For the purpose of this section and chapter, the term PARK, STOP OR LEAVE STANDING shall have the same meaning as STOP or STOPPING in Cal. Vehicle Code § 587, which excludes: the “cessation of movement of a vehicle” “when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the direction of a police officer or official traffic control device or signal.” Thus, the prohibition in this section as to parking, stopping or leaving standing shall not include any cessation of movement of a recreational vehicle that is necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the direction of a police officer or official traffic control device or signal.

(C) For the purpose of this section, EMERGENCY REPAIRS shall mean a situation when a recreational vehicle has broken down and is unable to be driven due to a mechanical or functional failure, such as a flat tire or dead battery; but does not include rebuilding an engine, performing a brake job, repairing/replacing major components or any other repair that would reasonably be expected to require an extended period of time to reasonably complete, beyond 24 hours, and which is a non-emergency related repair that can be done at any time or location. EMERGENCY REPAIRS does not include minor repairs, such as a light out, low tire pressure, windshield wiper blade replacement and similar repair items that do not impair the mobility of the recreational vehicle, or that can be repaired at any time or location.

(Ord. 3294, passed - -2020; Ord. 3322, passed - -2023; Ord. 3323, passed - -2023)

(A) Purpose. The purpose of the temporary RV parking permit is to allow users of recreational vehicles to park adjacent to their residences to load, unload, clean and maintain their recreational vehicles and to allow out-of-town visitors to park their recreational vehicles in front of the residence in which they are visiting for a limited period of time.

(B) Issuance of permit. Subject to the requirements set forth in this chapter, the Chief of Police or his or her designee may issue temporary RV parking permits upon receipt and approval of an application on a form established by the Chief of Police.

(1) Any resident may obtain a temporary RV parking permit authorizing him or her to park a recreational vehicle in front of his or her residence.

(2) Any out-of-town visitor may obtain a temporary RV parking permit authorizing that visitor to park a recreational vehicle in front of the residence they are visiting.

(C) Application. The Chief of Police shall establish a temporary RV parking permit application and may promulgate administrative regulations regarding the issuance of such permits.

(D) Fees. Any person applying for a temporary RV parking permit shall pay a fee in such amount as may be established by resolution of the City Council to recover the costs of processing such permits.

(Ord. 3294, passed - -2020; Ord. 3301, passed - -2021)

(A) Residential zones. Temporary RV parking shall only be permitted in residential zones of the city.

(B) Description of permit; display. The temporary RV parking permit shall include the license number of the vehicle authorized to be parked, the date of issuance and the date and time through which the temporary parking permit is valid. Such permit shall be placed in the vehicle in such a manner as to be clearly visible to the Police Department personnel and traffic enforcement officers.

(C) Non-transferable. The temporary RV parking permit shall be non-transferable and shall only valid for the vehicle, date(s) and location specified on the permit.

(D) Duration.

(1) A temporary RV parking permit issued to a resident shall be valid for 24 hours.

(2) A temporary RV parking permit issued to an out-of-town visitor shall be valid for no more than seven consecutive days.

(E) Restriction on number of permits.

(1) Each resident may be issued no more than four temporary RV parking permits per calendar month.

(2) Temporary RV parking permits issued to out-of-town visitors shall not exceed seven consecutive days per month and 50 days per calendar year, per residential address.

(3) No more than one temporary RV parking permit, whether issued to a resident or an out-of-town visitor, shall be issued per residential address at any given time.

(F) Parking restrictions. Temporary RV parking permits shall be subject to the following restrictions regarding where RVs may be parked when a permit is issued.

(1) The permittee may only stop, park or leave standing his or her recreational vehicle directly in front of, or, if the property is a corner lot, on the side of, the residential address specified on the temporary RV parking permit. If the recreational vehicle is not parked directly in front of, or on the side of as set forth herein, such residence, the vehicle will be subject to citation, towing or both.

(2) The permittee shall not stop, park or leave standing his or her RV within ten feet from the beginning of the apron of any driveway, except at the address specified on the temporary RV parking permit, provided that the driveway is not shared with another residence or business.

(3) The permittee shall not stop, park or leave standing his or her RV within 20 feet of any intersection.

(Ord. 3294, passed - -2020)

No person shall:

(A) Use slide outs/pop outs or other appurtenances on a recreational vehicle that encroach on or into the roadway, parkway and/or sidewalk in such a manner as to interfere with the path of safe travel of vehicles and/or pedestrians;

(B) Open or partially open any awnings on a recreational vehicle in such a manner as to interfere with the path of safe travel of vehicles and/or pedestrians;

(C) Cause or permit any utility connections, electrical cords, extension cords, hoses or cables to cross over, above, on or across any street or sidewalk to or from a recreational vehicle;

(D) Use power generators or other noise-generating equipment between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. within or adjacent to a recreational vehicle;

(E) Conduct any commercial activity that is visible from the exterior of an RV while an RV is parked on the public right-of-way;

(F) Connect a recreational vehicle to the public sewer system or dump waste onto public or private land or into streets, gutters or storm drains, other than lawfully at a designated, licensed and permitted recreational vehicle sanitary wastewater dump station; and

(G) Knowingly allow any type of grease, oil, fuel or other harmful substance to leak or be emitted onto any public right-of-way.

(Ord. 3294, passed - -2020; Ord. 3301, passed - -2021)

Any recreational vehicle parked in violation of this chapter shall be subject to citation, towing as authorized by Cal. Vehicle Code §§ 22650 and 22651 or both, and revocation of any permit issued pursuant to this chapter. Any violation of § 8.46.060 is punishable pursuant to Chapter 1.08 of this code.

(Ord. 3294, passed - -2020; Ord. 3301, passed - -2021)

(A) The Chief of Police shall have the authority to revoke a temporary RV parking permit if the Chief of Police makes any one of the following findings:

(1) The recreational vehicle has fallen into a state of disrepair and has become a public nuisance, or a danger to pedestrians or other vehicles;

(2) The recreational vehicle has become inoperable;

(3) There have been at least three parking citations issued for the recreational vehicle associated with the temporary RV parking permit; or

(4) There has been a violation of this chapter.

(B) To revoke a temporary RV parking permit, the Chief of Police shall issue a notice of revocation in writing to the permittee specifying the basis for and the effective date of the revocation, which date shall be at least two days after the date of the notice of revocation. To the extent a permit expires pursuant to its own terms before the effective date of such revocation, the Chief of Police may use such revocation as a basis to deny a future application from the same permittee. The Chief of Police’s determination to revoke a temporary RV parking permit shall be final.

(Ord. 3294, passed - -2020)

The city shall cause appropriate signs or markings giving notice of the restrictions provided for in this chapter to be placed on city streets in the manner required by law. Notice that a vehicle is subject to removal for violation of this chapter shall also be provided.

(Ord. 3294, passed - -2020)