San Diego County Municipal Code Ch. 2 Use and Storage of Trailer Coaches

Trailer coaches are designed for temporary human occupancy for recreational, industrial, professional or commercial purposes. The County Zoning Ordinance allows temporary use and occupancy of trailer coaches on private property under certain circumstances. This chapter regulates permits for trailer coaches when the Zoning Ordinance allows their use and occupancy, but does not authorize use or occupancy of trailer coaches in addition to what the Zoning Ordinance allows. This chapter also regulates trailer coach storage on private property.

(Added by Ord. No. 9974 (N.S.), effective 4-3-09)

The following definitions shall apply to this chapter:

(a) "Agricultural employee" has the same meaning as the term "agricultural employee" in California Labor Code section 1140.4(b).

(b) "Director DEHQ" means the Director of the County Department of Environmental Health and Quality.

(c) "Director PDS" means the Director of the County Department of Planning and Development Services.

(d) "Installation permit" means the permit issued by the Director PDS that authorizes the installation of a trailer coach regulated by this chapter.

(e) "Trailer coach" means a vehicle designed for human habitation or human occupancy for recreational, industrial, professional or commercial purposes, for carrying property on its own structure or for being drawn by a motor vehicle and includes a camper, camp trailer, house car, mobilehome whose tongue and axle have not been removed, park trailer, recreational vehicle, trailer, trailer coach and travel trailer as these terms are defined in the Health and Safety Code and the Vehicle Code.

(Added by Ord. No. 9974 (N.S.), effective 4-3-09; amended by Ord. No. 10224 (N.S.), effective 10-25-12; amended by Ord. No. 10709 (N.S.), effective 1-15-21)

No person shall use, occupy or store a trailer coach on any property in the unincorporated area of the County except as provided in this chapter and the County Zoning Ordinance. This chapter, however, shall not apply to the use, occupancy or storage of a trailer coach in an incidental camping area, mobilehome park, recreational vehicle park, temporary recreational vehicle park, special occupancy park subject to the State Mobilehome Park Act, labor camp subject to the State Housing Act, or in a supervised public park, public campground or picnic ground owned, operated and maintained by the Federal government, the State of California or any agency or political subdivision of the State.

(Added by Ord. No. 9974 (N.S.), effective 4-3-09)

The Director PDS shall enforce this chapter.

(Added by Ord. No. 9974 (N.S.), effective 4-3-09; amended by Ord. No. 10224 (N.S.), effective 10-25-12)

Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, the fee for an operating permit provided in section 52.206 and the installation permit fees required by this chapter shall be waived for:

(a) Any agricultural employee housing or farm labor camp project for which (1) a complete application for an Administrative Permit or a Minor Use Permit was filed between: July 13, 1990, and January 13, 1991 pursuant to Ordinance No. 7768 (N.S.), between April 5, 1991 and October 5, 1991, pursuant to Ordinance No. 7875 (N.S.), between October 31, 1991 and June 30, 1993, pursuant to Ordinance No. 8086 (N.S.), between July 30, 1993 and June 30, 1994, pursuant to Ordinance No. 8271 (N.S.), between September 2, 1994 and June 30, 1995, pursuant to Ordinance No. 8436 (N.S.), between May 14, 1999 and June 30, 2004, pursuant to Ordinance No. 9021 (N.S.), or between July 1, 2004 and June 30, 2009 pursuant to Ordinance No. 9647 (N.S.) and (2) the application was approved.

(b) Any agricultural employee housing or farm labor camp project where: (1) Health and Safety Code sections 17021.5 or 17021.6 apply, (2) the Agricultural Commissioner has issued a certificate of active agricultural enterprise, (3) the housing is not the subject of an active code enforcement action, (4) the applicant has entered into the contract required by Zoning Ordinance section 6156 u.11 or section 6906 d. and (5) the application was filed between July 30, 1993, and June 30, 1994, pursuant to Ordinance No. 8271 (N.S.), between September 2, 1994 and June 30, 1995, pursuant to Ordinance No. 8436 (N.S.), between May 14, 1999 and June 30, 2004, pursuant to Ordinance No. 9021 (N.S.) or between July 1, 2004 and June 30, 2009 pursuant to Ordinance No. 9647 (N.S.).

(Added by Ord. No. 9974 (N.S.), effective 4-3-09)

(a) A trailer coach shall only be stored as follows:

(1) Within an enclosed building.

(2) On a lot or parcel of property on which there exists a lawfully established and maintained dwelling which is occupied by the owner of the stored trailer coach. Trailer coach storage pursuant to this subsection after March 19, 1993 shall be limited to one trailer coach on the lot or parcel and the trailer coach shall not exceed 8 feet in width and 40 feet in length. No trailer coach shall be stored under this subsection if it is inoperative, dismantled, wrecked, creates a fire hazard, has been vandalized or is any other condition that is likely to reduce the value of private property.

(3) On a lot or parcel on which a person is conducting a lawfully operated business for the sale, rental, storage or repair of trailer coaches and the storage is incidental to the operation of the business.

(b) No stored trailer coach shall be used or occupied and all water, gas, electric and sewer lines shall be and remain disconnected from the trailer coach at all times it is stored except that a stored trailer coach may be connected to the aforementioned utilities for a 48-hour period for the purpose of maintenance and repairs or for servicing prior to or upon returning from travel.

(Added by Ord. No. 9974 (N.S.), effective 4-3-09)

(a) No person shall use or occupy a trailer coach in the unincorporated area of the County unless the use or occupancy is authorized by the Zoning Ordinance and the person is in possession of a valid, unexpired trailer coach installation permit issued by the Director PDS.

(b) An applicant for a permit to install a trailer coach shall submit an application on a form provided by the Director PDS and provide additional information when requested by that department. The applicant shall submit with the application the nonrefundable fee, which shall be the same as the fee authorized by 25 CCR section 1020.1 for the installation of a mobilehome.

(Added by Ord. No. 9974 (N.S.), effective 4-3-09; amended by Ord. No. 10224 (N.S.), effective 10-25-12)

A person who uses or occupies a trailer coach without the permit required by this chapter shall pay a penalty fee at the time the person submits the permit application. The penalty fee for using or occupying a trailer coach without a permit during the first 30 days shall be 10 percent of the inspection fee. For each additional 30 day period of use or occupancy or fraction of the period, the penalty fee shall increase 10 percent, up to a maximum of 60 percent. The penalty imposed by this section is in addition to any other fines, penalties or punishment that may be imposed by law, including criminal prosecution for violating this chapter.

(Added by Ord. No. 9974 (N.S.), effective 4-3-09)

A permit issued pursuant to this chapter is not transferable from one location to another location and shall be deemed void if removed from the location specified in the permit.

(Added by Ord. No. 9974 (N.S.), effective 4-3-09)

No person using or occupying a trailer coach located outside a mobilehome park shall:

(a) Fail to comply with all conditions contained in Health and Safety Code section 18550 and all regulations adopted pursuant to that section that apply to a mobilehome or a recreational vehicle located in a mobilehome park.

(b) Erect, construct or maintain an accessory building, structure or external appurtenance used or designed to be used incidental to the use or occupancy of a trailer coach on the site on which the trailer coach is located, except that: (1) an awning, which complies with the requirements of regulations adopted pursuant to Health and Safety Code section 18552 may be attached to a trailer coach and (2) an accessory building or structure allowed on property located in a zone subject to the S-87 Limited Control Use Regulations, may be erected, constructed or maintained on the same property where a trailer coach is located.

(c) Fail to establish a temporary connection to an onsite sewage disposal system permitted by Director DEHQ unless the trailer coach the person is occupying is equipped with self-contained sanitary facilities which the Director DEHQ has determined are adequate or unless sanitary facilities deemed adequate by the Director DEHQ are located within 200 feet of where a trailer coach is placed and are available for use by any occupant of the trailer coach. If the sanitary facilities cease being available, continued use or occupancy of a trailer coach on a site is unlawful.

(d) Establish a permanent connection to a water, gas or electricity source or to any sewer system or sewage disposal facility.

(e) Place or maintain a trailer coach at a location on property other than where designated on a plot plan approved by the Director PDS.

(f) Engage in any conduct that violates State Law, this code or the Zoning Ordinance.

(g) Fail to have a Director DEHQ approved potable or domestic water supply when required by the Director DEHQ.

(Added by Ord. No. 9974 (N.S.), effective 4-3-09; amended by Ord. No. 10224 (N.S.), effective 10-25-12; amended by Ord. No. 10518 (N.S.), effective 2-9-18; amended by Ord. No. 10709 (N.S.), effective 1-15-21)

The Director PDS may approve a trailer coach installation permit subject to additional conditions the Director deems necessary to protect the public health and safety.

(Added by Ord. No. 9974 (N.S.), effective 4-3-09; amended by Ord. No. 10224 (N.S.), effective 10-25-12)

A trailer coach installation permit issued pursuant to this chapter shall expire on the date provided in the permit. The permit may be renewed for an additional term when the Zoning Ordinance allows a trailer coach to remain on a site after the initial term provided in the permit.

(Added by Ord. No. 9974 (N.S.), effective 4-3-09)

(a) The Director PDS may revoke an installation permit issued under this chapter if the person to whom the permission was issued is violating any condition of the permit, State law, any other provision of this code or the County Zoning Ordinance. In the alternative, the Director may suspend the permit to give the permittee the opportunity to remedy the violation. If the permittee fails to remedy the violation during the suspension period, the Director may revoke the permit.

(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to use or occupy a trailer coach when the installation permit has been revoked or suspended.

(Added by Ord. No. 9974 (N.S.), effective 4-3-09; amended by Ord. No. 10224 (N.S.), effective 10-25-12)

The Director PDS shall give written notice to the permittee that the Director proposes to revoke or suspend the permit. The notice shall be served pursuant to section 11.112 of this code or by posting the property on which the trailer coach is located. The notice shall contain the following information:

(a) Each violation the Director has determined is grounds for revocation or suspension.

(b) Whether the Director proposes to revoke or suspend the permit.

(c) If the Director is proposing to suspend the permit, the period of time for which the permit will be suspended and each corrective action the permittee is required to complete during the period of suspension.

(d) That the revocation or suspension shall be effective 14 days from the date of the notice unless the person requests a hearing in writing within the 14 day period to contest whether a violation has occurred.

(e) The procedure the permittee is required to follow to request a hearing.

(Added by Ord. No. 9974 (N.S.), effective 4-3-09; amended by Ord. No. 10224 (N.S.), effective 10-25-12)

If a permittee requests a hearing pursuant to section 52.214(d) the Director PDS shall transmit the request for a hearing to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and request the Clerk assign the matter to a County Hearing Officer pursuant to sections 16.101 et seq. If the permittee requests a hearing the Director PDS shall take no further action on the proposed revocation or suspension until the hearing is completed, except that the Director may retract the proposed revocation or suspension if the Director is satisfied that all violations have been corrected.

(Added by Ord. No. 9974 (N.S.), effective 4-3-09; amended by Ord. No. 10224 (N.S.), effective 10-25-12)

If the permittee fails to timely request a hearing to contest the revocation or suspension the Director PDS may revoke or suspend the permit on the date provided in the notice served under section 52.214. If a hearing is requested and the hearing officer issues a ruling sustaining the Director's determination that grounds for revocation or suspension exist, the Director may revoke or suspend the permit as provided in the hearing officer's ruling. The Director shall serve a written order of revocation or suspension pursuant to section 11.112 or by posting the property on which the trailer coach is located.

(Added by Ord. No. 9974 (N.S.), effective 4-3-09; amended by Ord. No. 10224 (N.S.), effective 10-25-12)