Editorial: RV park residency not worth the fuss

YOU want controversy? How about President Clinton's trip to China and the battles in Congress over taxes and tobacco? Oh, you want local controversy? Well, Boulder City is trying to whip it up, but from here it looks more like a tempest in a teapot.

It seems that some residents of the Boulder Oaks and Canyon Trails recreational vehicle parks have been branded as renegades. What have these scoundrels done? Why, they reportedly have violated a city ordinance prohibiting them from spending more than 180 consecutive days at those parks.

At the request of Boulder City Councilman Bill Smith, the city is looking into the matter. Seems there is some concern that RV owners are turning the parks into permanent residences even though the property is zoned only for temporary occupancy. But we're at a loss as to why this is suddenly a pressing issue to be discussed by the City Council on July 14 when it has been going on for at least two years.

Boulder Oaks residents are in a particularly awkward situation because they own their lots. Since opening two years ago, the park sold 205 of its lots for an average of $30,000. The park's codes state that RV owners cannot stay there for more than 180 consecutive days, but it doesn't make sense to sell lots and then restrict access.

There are rumblings that RV park residents who make their stays permanent bring more automobiles, creating more of a mobile home atmosphere. Is that to say that people who spend fewer than 180 days at the park also can't bring other cars that belong to them or their friends?

Here's what's really silly about all the fuss. Smith conceded that the ordinance has a loophole that allows RV owners to leave town for one day and then return to the park for another six-month stretch. So if the city enforces the ordinance, all it can do is get rid of RV owners for one day a year. That'll shake up the RV parks.

It would be nice if we could solve all our problems in one day. It would be nice if Clinton could get a billion Chinese citizens to knock down the great wall of communism in one day. It would be nice if we could get Congress to behave for one day.

Our suggestion to the Boulder City Council members is that they clarify their problem with the RV owners before taking any Draconian measures.

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