Summer is a time when outdoor recreation activities become more popular, many residents are preparing recreational vehicles (RVs), trailers, boats, and other vehicles for travel and leisure. This is a great opportunity to review some of the City of Goleta standards related to vehicle parking, storage, and RV occupancy. Understanding these requirements can help residents maintain compliance with City standards while contributing to safe, attractive, and well-maintained neighborhoods.
Under Section 12.13.030 of the Goleta Municipal Code (GMC), Public Nuisances Designated, the City identifies certain parking and vehicle storage conditions that may be considered public nuisances when allowed to occur on private property.
GMC 12.13.030.O identifies trailers, campers, boats, or motor vehicles parked or stored on vacant property, or in front yards of developed lots unless they are located on paved surfaces, as a public nuisance. This standard helps ensure that vehicles and equipment are stored in an orderly manner and that front yard areas remain well-maintained. Parking on dirt, bare ground, or other unpaved surfaces can contribute to dust, erosion, drainage concerns, and visual impacts within residential neighborhoods.
The City also has standards related to recreational vehicles being used for living purposes. GMC 12.13.030.N identifies the use of a recreational vehicle as living space on private residentially zoned property for a period exceeding 14 days within a six-month period as a public nuisance. While RVs may be used for temporary accommodations, they are not intended to serve as long-term living quarters on residential properties.
In addition to the public nuisance provisions, the City has specific regulations regarding the parking and storage of recreational vehicles and trailers. GMC 17.38.080.A establishes standards for RVs and trailers parked or stored on residentially zoned lots. These standards include requirements that the vehicle be operable, owned by a resident of the property, and parked in a manner that does not create safety hazards or encroach into the public right-of-way. The code also limits the number of recreational vehicles and trailers that may be stored on a residential property outside of an enclosed or screened area.
These standards are intended to balance the needs of property owners with the goal of preserving neighborhood character, maintaining safety, and promoting attractive residential areas throughout the community.
By parking vehicles on approved surfaces and following the City’s standards for recreational vehicles and trailers, residents help keep Goleta’s neighborhoods safe, clean, and welcoming for everyone.
To learn more about the code sections referenced above, please visit the City of Goleta Municipal Code through this link: Table of Contents – City of Goleta Municipal Code.