PORT ANGELES — After hearing more public comment against approving an ordinance for recreational vehicles and accessory dwelling units, the Clallam County commissioners decided to take another look at the policy.
During a nearly 3 1/2-hour meeting Tuesday, commissioners heard from more Clallam County residents against the proposed ordinance, which aims to provide clear definitions and regulate the use of recreational vehicles (RVs) and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in the county.
“Under current Clallam County code on property with residents, as we’ve noted, there is a limitation on the duration of occupancy for no more than 90 consecutive days; that’s under the accessory dwelling unit standards,” said Bruce Emery, director of the county’s Community Development Department.
The current code only allows for one unit per parcel, and if an RV is occupied for more than 30 days, the current code states water and sewer must be properly provided.
“With these existing codes in place, our whole purpose for having taken up this issue is we recognize that people are living in RVs and it’s draconian to kick them out,” Emery said.
When it was first drafted, the ordinance sought to limit RV stays to 180 days, but the department removed that provision under the direction of county commissioners. The commissioners also asked the department to allow for a second RV on a property with a conditional use permit.
The existing code does not have a section specifically for RVs, Emery said, but there is a section for ADUs and another for short-term rentals. Not having a section specific to RVs created a challenge for the Community Development Department.
“So, part of what we’re trying to achieve is clarity to take those provisions that we’re not changing and put them in one location,” Emery said. “But more to the point is to make it possible for someone to utilize an RV for long-term occupancy, to get us out of the business of regulating duration of use.”
Although Emery recommended the commissioners approve the ordinance, the commissioners were not ready to pass it.
Commissioner Randy Johnson said he knows of a woman who has lived in an RV in his neighborhood for 10 years.
“That is her sole place to live,” he said. “And if she gets moved out, she would not have a place to live, and we have to make sure to protect those individuals.”
Johnson acknowledged that the county needs to ensure RVs have what he called “life necessities” such as power, water and septic health.
“I appreciate all the comments,” Johnson said. “I don’t think we’re there yet. I’m not exactly sure where to go from this point on.”
The county’s current code is not tenable, Johnson said.
The commissioners’ job is to provide as much specific feedback to the Community Development Department as possible, commissioner Mike French said.
“I think what we’ve heard is clarity around room rental versus full house, we already talked about clarity on structure type for accessory housing units and then if there’s any sort of wordsmithing we can do on that one section of general requirements,” French said. “It just reads very draconian. … I recognize what you’re saying that we can’t have this pathway where people avoid building permits and create housing that is substandard and then rent it. I recognize that’s an issue. I just wanted to flag that for the Planning Commission.”
The ordinance and the process to get it approved has a lot of moving pieces, county Administrator Todd Mielke said.
“I think people are trying to figure out which circumstance they fit in, and whichever circumstance they do fit in, which rules apply,” Mielke said.
The commissioners decided to have a work session on the topic, but they did not set a date or time for it on Tuesday.
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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.
