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Needles City Zoning Code

ARTICLE XIII

Recreational Vehicle RV Parks


(Ord. No. 427-AC)

113.00 Recreational Vehicle Parks

  1. General.
    1. Recreational vehicle parks shall be permitted in the CRR (commercial residential resort) zone with a special use permit.
    2. Recreational vehicle parks may be permitted in some residential zones and the C-3 (highway commercial) zone with an approved conditional use permit.
  2. Application Process--Procedures.
    1. The plan proposal submitted to the planning department shall include facilities or any other provision required by and acceptable for approval by the state and local health departments and any other jurisdictional agency to whom it will be submitted for review.
    2. Ten (10) copies of the plans and all necessary fees shall be deposited with the planning department for distribution to the city engineer and other jurisdictional agencies for their evaluation prior to approval or hearing by the planning commission.
    3. RV park plans shall be prepared, stamped and signed by a California registered engineer in accordance with California state statutes and rules.
    4. If a zone change or conditional use permit is required, the necessary applications, fees and other material may be submitted for processing simultaneously with the RV park plans. If desired or appropriate, the developer/applicant may elect to have any zoning action processed and heard by the planning commission and city council prior to submittal of the RV park plans. In addition to any zoning action, park plans must be approved by the city council after receiving a recommendation from the planning commission.

      Within fifteen (15) days from deposit of the park plan, the city planner or his designee shall review the park plan, preferably with the subdivider, as it relates to the following:
      1. City general plan;
      2. Suitability of the site for development proposed;
      3. The improvements, design and dedications required by these regulations and those of other jurisdictions;
      4. Zoning requirements;
      5. All information, documents, maps and fees including evaluations by the various agencies/departments shall be submitted to the city planner at least ten (10) working days prior to the next planning commission meeting date;
      6. Fee. Two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) plus one dollar ($1.00) for each RV space;
      7. Any substantial changes in design, after approval by the planning commission, shall invalidate that approval, and the plan shall be reprocessed as a new proposal;
      8. Approval by the planning commission and the city council shall be conditioned on approval by the other jurisdictional reviewing agencies.
  3. Plan Design and Format. All applications for recreational vehicle parks shall contain the following: complete park plans and specifications of the RV park depicting but not limited to:
    1. Names and addresses of the applicant(s), owner(s), and project engineer;
    2. Title and vicinity map showing the location and legal description of the park including the location of existing roads, existing or proposed access to the park and the nature and status of the access road;
    3. North arrow, date of preparation, scale, source and date of topography information as established by field or aerial survey methods;
    4. The complete boundary of the park, area and dimensions of the tract of land and the density of the park;
    5. Existing (and proposed) zoning and location of any existing development or structures within the park boundary;
    6. Proposed method and source of water supply, sewage disposal, fire protection, electricity, phone, etc. (general statement);
    7. Number, location, dimensions, and sizes of all spaces. Each space shall be numbered;
    8. Location and width dimensions of all roadways, walkways, and the entrance/exit way including the access road;
    9. Location and amount of parking and/or storage area;
    10. Location, size and description of the recreation area(s) or other amenities;
    11. Drainage arrows depicting direction of drainage flows;
    12. Location of water and sewer lines, riser pipes, fire hydrants (if applicable) and the electrical layout and proposed lighting;
    13. Dimension, location and nature of all buildings or facilities to be constructed in the park;
    14. Plans and specifications of the water supply, refuse and sewage disposal and sanitary facilities;
    15. Engineer’s stamp and date of preparation.
  4. Additional Accompanying Materials. The following material shall accompany the submittal of all RV park plans. If this data is not on the park plan, ten (10) copies are required.
    1. A statement regarding the nature of the proposed improvements within the park, including but not limited to roadways, parking areas, access road, method of sewage disposal, water supply and distribution, screening, landscaping and extent and nature of recreational facilities;
    2. A description of how streets and spaces will be numbered or identified for emergency vehicle response;
    3. A descriptive statement of the design concept and traffic circulation system of the park;
    4. Rezone or conditional use permit application and fees, if applicable;
    5. Drainage report.
  5. Park Design and Improvement Standards.
    1. Environmental Requirements.
      1. General. Condition of soil, groundwater level, drainage and topography shall not create hazards to the property or the health or safety of the occupants. The site shall not be exposed, in the opinion of the planning commission, to objectionable smoke, noise, odors or other adverse influences, and not portion subject to flooding, subsidence or erosion shall be used for any purpose which would expose persons or property to hazards.
      2. Site drainage. The ground surface in all parts of every recreational vehicle park shall be graded and equipped to drain all surface water in a safe, efficient manner.
    2. Recreational parks shall be a minimum of three (3) gross acres.
    3. RV Space Dimensions. The following dimensions and standards shall apply to RV spaces:


      		Minimum Width Minimum Depth
      		Minimum Area
      Back-in
      Drive-through       		25
      20      		45
      50      		1,400 square feet
      1,400 square feet
      Overnight back-in
      Overnight drive-through       		25
      20      		35
      40      		1,000 square feet
      1,000 square feet
      Compact
      		25351,000 square feet
      Overnight and compact spaces may comprise no more than twenty (20) percent (one-fifth (1/5)) of the total number of recreational vehicle spaces within the park. Overnight spaces shall be located to facilitate entry to and exit from the park without being in conflict with the primary park users and area.

      Compact spaces shall be limited to trailer-tents, vans, compact trailers and rigs of similar size requiring lesser area.
      1. Lot measurements: measured width and depth on perpendicular distance between the side lot lines and the front and rear lot lines, respectively.
      2. Each lot shall be accessible from an approved private street or accessway.
      3. Each recreational park shall have access on a major collector or larger street.
    4. Recreational Vehicular Separation and Set-backs.

      Separations. Recreational vehicles and any portion thereof shall be separated from each other and from other buildings and structures by at least ten (10) feet on all sides. Parking pads for recreational vehicles shall be so arranged as to comply with the requirements for a ten (10) foot separation between recreational vehicles as well as the required RV space setback.

      Setbacks.
      1. No lot or space shall be located within fifty (50) feet of the right-of-way line at any major street or within twenty-five (25) feet of the right-of-way line of any major street unless such space is adequately screened from the street.
      2. The minimum space setback for recreational vehicles shall be observed as follows:

        Front: five (5) feet.

        Side: three (3) feet. If the side fronts on an interior street, the side back shall be five (5) feet.

        Rear: three (3) feet. If the space is designed as a drive-through space, then five (5) feet shall be the minimum setback for the area.
    5. Lot Improvements. Each space shall be provided water from a controlled water system, each space shall be provided sewage disposal from a central community sewage disposal system, and each space shall be provided electricity.

      Each space shall have paved parking pad to be a minimum of ten (10) feet in width by a minimum of forty (40) feet in length (ten (10) feet by forty (40) feet and shall extend to the street. Where drive-through spaces are provided, said paved pads shall extend across the space from street to street. “Compact” and “overnight” spaces shall be paved or graveled parking pad with a minimum width of ten (10) feet and a minimum length of thirty (30) feet.

      If provided, barbecue pits or fire rings and related setbacks thereof shall be subject to approval by the governing fire district.
    6. RV Park Density. The overall maximum allowed density permitted for recreational vehicle parks shall be twenty (20) recreational vehicle spaces per acre (less area proposed for manager’s residence, dedicated rights-of-way.)
    7. Recreational Area Requirements. Recreational and/or usable common, open areas shall be provided and conveniently accessible to all park guests and shall be no less than seven (7) percent of the total park area. Floor space in enclosed or open recreation halls and/or recreational amenities may be included in the requirement. The recreation open area requirements shall not include parking, streets, or incidental landscaped or open parcels not suitable or intended for recreational use.
    8. Screening.
      1. A solid masonry wall having a minimum thickness of six (6) inches and height of six (6) feet shall be installed and maintained along the setback line where a property line abuts an arterial street or residential property.
      2. A six (6) foot high opaque screen shall be provided along all setback lines where the property abuts any collector or lessor streets and along the property lines where the property abuts an alley and/or common interior lot line. The opaque screen may consist of a wall or a fence having an approved hedge or plant screen.
      3. The height of a wall shall be measured from the highest grade level.
      4. In cases where “overnight” and/or tent spaces are provided, acceptable screening shall be provided to the extent necessary to screen and separate these types of spaces from the primary portion of the RV park.
    9. Landscaping.
      1. The setback between a required wall and property line shall be landscaped.
      2. All common outdoor recreational living spaces shall be landscaped except for pools, shuffleboards and similar open recreational facilities.
      3. All required landscaping shall be maintained with a permanent watering system.
      4. A landscaping plan depicting the screening and landscaping scheme for all required landscaped areas shall be submitted. Where trees and shrubbery are required or used in recreational areas, said landscaping plan shall indicate the plant type, size, quantity and spacing.
    10. Parking.
      1. No on-street parking shall be allowed with any RV park.
      2. Adequate off-street parking shall be provided for automobiles, boats, etc. One (1) space for every two (2) lots shall be the minimum provided. Additional parking spaces or added storage area may be required by the planning commission when warranted by special conditions or circumstances such as but not necessarily limited to, the size, nature and location of the park.
      3. Each RV space shall have adequate room for at least one (1) parking space in addition to the RV pad.
    11. Streets and Access--Park Street System.
      1. Access to recreational vehicle park lots shall be internal private drive only. No lot shall have direct access to a public street or way.
      2. Entrances to recreational vehicle parks shall be designed to minimize congestion and traffic hazards through designated driveways and allow free movement of traffic on adjacent streets.
      3. Park street width shall be at least twenty (20) feet if one (1) way and twenty-four (24) feet if two (2) way.
      4. All internal streets must be improved to minimum applicable city standards for paved streets (except width). Specific required standards as determined by the planning commission shall relate to and depend on (but not limited to) such factors as park size, site character, density, drainage, site (soils) type, character and use of surrounding lands, amount of park traffic, proximity to urban or developed areas, input from the city engineer, etc.
      5. Dead-end streets shall be limited to serve no more than twelve (12) lots and shall be provided at the closed end with a turn-around having an outside roadway diameter of at least sixty (60) feet.
    12. For parks with roads serving more than twelve (12) sites, these roads shall be continuous and return to a public road or way.
    13. Service Buildings (where applicable).
      1. All service buildings shall be convenient to the units which they serve, and shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.
      2. All service buildings shall be of permanent construction and in accordance with local requirements.
      3. Facilities in service buildings such as lavatories, toilets, showers, etc., shall be provided and constructed in accordance with state and local health department requirements.
    14. Sanitary Stations (where provided).
      1. Sufficient facilities shall be provided for sanitary stations for the sole purpose of removing and disposing of waste from all holding tanks in a clean, efficient and convenient manner.
      2. Sanitary stations shall be approved by the county health department. (Ord. 427-AC)