Cold Lake Looks to Change RV Bylaw

The City of Cold Lake will be hosting an Open House on Thursday, March 3rd, in regards to its Land Use Bylaw 575-LU-16, parking or storage of Recreational Vehicles on residential properties. Craig Copeland, Mayor of Cold Lake, says the City is looking at amending the Bylaw to better regulate how long and where RVs can be parked or stored on residential properties and any citizen who have concerns regarding this issue are invited to the Energy Centre to discuss in more detail.

Mayor Copeland explains last summer, he and  Council received a number of concerns from local residents regarding RVs being stored on residential properties within the City. “We want to clarify how long you keep a camper in front of your home for. We’ve had a lot of complaints of campers extending over sidewalks, and some onto the streets. Some campers staying on residential streets, unattached to a vehicle, and just staying there. We want to tighten up some of the rules.”

The City of Cold Lake Land Use Bylaw currently provides the following regulations with respect to RVs:

 “6.18 (1) No person shall keep in any part of a yard in the following Districts within the corporate limits of the City:

(d) Recreational Vehicles:

(i) In any residential District, no more than two recreational vehicles present on a regular basis on a detached dwelling lot, provided they are not used for living or sleeping accommodation while stored on the site;

(ii) In all other Districts recreational vehicles may be stored on a regular basis, provided they are not used for living or sleeping accommodation while stored on the site;”

*City of Cold Lake

Proposed Changes:

Cold Lake City Administration recommends that the Land Use Bylaw be amended to add the following regulations with respect to RVs in residential neighbourhoods:

• A maximum of one (1) Recreational Vehicle may be stored in the front yard of a lot in any residential District from April 1 to October 31 of each calendar year. Recreational Vehicles shall not be stored within the front yard of a lot in any residential District from November 1 of any calendar year to March 31 of the following calendar year.

• No part of a Recreational Vehicle, including a hitch or fifth-wheel attachment, or any item attached to the Recreational Vehicle, may be located closer than 1.0 m from the back edge of the sidewalk, or, where there is no sidewalk, from the back edge of the of curb, or, where there is no curb, from the nearest edge of the paved surface of the road.

• Any recreational vehicle parked or stored on a lot in any residential District must be parked or stored on a driveway or a parking pad. Recreational Vehicle(s) shall not be parked or stored on a landscaped portion of any lot.

• Within any residential District, Recreational Vehicles shall not be stored on a vacant lot where no principal residential use exists.

*City of Cold Lake

The City of Cold Lake asks any residents whom may want to express concerns or approval of the current Bylaw and/or proposed changes to attend the Open House on March 3rd at the Energy Centre. Comments from the Open House will be presented to Council during a public hearing of the proposed Bylaw amendments.