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Goleta Streets Saying Good-Bye to RVs

City Council Establishes New Ordinance to Deal with Oversized Vehicle Parking

Wednesday, October 19, 2011
By Matt Kettmann (Contact)

Within a few months, it’s likely that RVs, trailers, boats, big rigs, and other oversized vehicles will no longer be allowed to park on the streets of Goleta without a permit, as the City Council on Tuesday moved forward a new ordinance to handle the steady stream of complaints about such vehicles leading to traffic problems, unsightly views, and health hazards from dumping, and amounting to the use of public space for private storage.

The ordinance — which also bans sleeping in said vehicles but does not apply to those “actively” loading or unloading — affects vehicles longer than 25 feet, wider than 82 inches, and/or taller than 80 inches; permits will be issued for up to three straight days of street parking, but no more than 36 days will be permitted in any six-month period. The cost of the permit will be discussed when the ordinance is finalized at a future hearing.

Though some spoke in favor of the ordinance — which was developed over a series of meetings that began in 2010 — others spoke against it, saying that the rules would be too onerous and wouldn’t allow them to, for instance, take their RV or boat out of storage at night, pack it while parked in the street, and then leave the next morning; others who use work trucks said it would hurt them economically. Councilmember Roger Aceves agreed, and voted against the ordinance, opining, “I don’t agree in creating laws when other remedies haven’t been tried.”