17.86.210 Recreational vehicles—Use as dwelling—Parked on a private lot.
A. Use for Living or Sleeping Prohibited on Private Property. No recreational vehicle, camper shell, automobile or similar device shall be used for living or sleeping quarters on private property, except in a lawfully operated mobile home park, travel trailer park, campground, or safe parking facility, except as provided in Section 17.86.230 (Safe Parking) and as otherwise provided in this section.
B. Overnight Camping Prohibited on Specified Public Properties. Within city streets, areas of the public right-of-way, and city-owned parking areas, parking of vehicles for purposes of overnight camping or sleeping is prohibited by and shall be subject to enforcement in accordance with Chapter 10.34.
C. Exception—Recreational Vehicle as Temporary Dwelling. A recreational vehicle may be parked in a residential parking space or driveway for periods not to exceed seven days in any one-month period for the purpose of housing guests of on-site residents only. Such recreational vehicle shall not be parked so as to prevent residents of any other dwellings on the site from using their assigned parking spaces, nor shall it discharge waste or sewage into the city’s sewage system. No hose, electrical cord, pipe, wire, or other device extending from the vehicle may be permitted.
D. Recreational Vehicle Parking—Where Permitted.
1. Recreational vehicles and trailers with current licenses may be parked in driveways consistent with Section 17.76.040 (Front Yard Parking).
2. Unregistered and unlicensed boats, trailers, camper shells, recreational vehicles, jet skis, and similar devices, and parts of these items, may be parked in any side or rear yard outside of any required setback area. However, any such device or part so parked must be screened from any public right-of-way as set forth in Section 17.76.100 (Screening).
E. Recreational Vehicles as Tiny Houses in Residential Zones. Moveable tiny houses shall be considered an additional type of accessory structure, allowed as an accessory use to a single-unit residential dwelling unit; however, moveable tiny houses are not identified as accessory dwelling units and are not subject to the provisions of Government Code Section 65852.2. A moveable tiny house that meets the definition in this subsection may be built and occupied as accessory to a single-unit residence, subject to the director’s review and approval of a director’s action application if it complies with the standards of this subsection.
1. Development Standards. Moveable tiny houses shall conform with the requirements under Section 17.70.010 (Accessory structures), including but not limited to setbacks, height, and other applicable zoning requirements of the zone in which the site of the proposed moveable tiny house is located, except as modified by this subsection.
a. Number. No parcel may contain more than one moveable tiny house at a time. No parcel may contain both a moveable tiny house and a conventional accessory dwelling unit.
b. Renewal. The approval of a movable tiny home shall expire after five years from the date of approval, unless the property owner submits a time extension application prior to the expiration of the permit. The director may renew the approval of a movable tiny home for a period of up to five years upon receipt of a complete application and completion of an inspection by the city to confirm continued compliance with the standards in this section.
c. Maintenance. The site shall be maintained as set forth in Chapter 17.76 (Property Maintenance Standards).
d. Location. The moveable tiny house shall be located toward the rear of the property.
e. Size. The maximum square footage or habitable floor space for a moveable tiny house shall be four hundred square feet, as measured by exterior wall dimensions (lofts shall not be counted toward the maximum square footage). The moveable tiny house shall have at least one hundred square feet of first floor interior living space.
f. Replacement Parking. Where a moveable tiny house occupies a required parking space, a replacement parking space is required. A replacement parking space may be located in any configuration on the same lot as the moveable tiny house, including but not limited to covered spaces, uncovered spaces, or tandem spaces. Parking shall be permitted only in those locations specified in these zoning regulations.
g. Design. The design of a tiny house shall resemble the general appearance, siding, and roofing of a traditional home.
h. Energy Efficiency. Applications submitted for tiny houses shall demonstrate that the tiny home has been constructed to exceed ANSI energy standards through one of the following methods:
i. Include insulation with values of R13 for the walls and R19 for the floor and ceiling; or
ii. Ensure that the stud/joist/rafter space in the walls, floors and ceiling are completely filled with insulation.
2. Parking Spaces. Moveable tiny houses shall not require additional parking.
3. Mechanical Equipment. All mechanical equipment for a moveable tiny house shall be incorporated into the structure and shall not be located on the roof, except for solar panels.
4. Utility Connections and Requirements. Moveable tiny houses shall not require separate utility meters from the primary unit. Moveable tiny houses may be off-grid and not connected to one or more utility systems, but only if the applicant provides sufficient proof, to the satisfaction of the director and the building official, that the moveable tiny house has adequate, safe, and sanitary utility systems providing water, sewer, heating, cooling, and electric power. Gas connections and use of propane tanks are prohibited.
5. Addresses. Moveable tiny houses shall not have separate street addresses from the primary unit.
6. Foundation Requirements. Once sited on the parcel of the primary unit, moveable tiny houses shall meet the following foundation requirements:
a. The moveable tiny house shall not have its wheels removed, and all wheels and leveling/support jacks shall sit on a concrete, paved, or compacted gravel surface sufficient to support its weight.
7. Emergency and Rescue Openings. Moveable tiny houses shall meet the requirements of Section R310 of the California Building Code for emergency escape and rescue openings. Egress roof access windows in lofts used as sleeping rooms shall be deemed to meet this requirement if installed such that the bottom of the opening is not more than forty-four inches above the loft floor, provided the egress roof access window complies with the minimum opening area requirements of California Building Code Section R310.2.1.
8. Procedural Requirements. A director’s action application shall be required to establish a moveable tiny house; an applicant for a moveable tiny house shall submit proof that:
a. The proposed moveable tiny house is licensed and registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles;
b. The proposed moveable tiny house has been certified by a qualified third-party inspector as meeting ANSI 119.2 or 119.5 requirements or comparable standards, or was built to meet ANSI 119.2 or 119.5 requirements as demonstrated by sufficient evidence satisfactory to the director; at a minimum this inspection shall verify that the unit is in good working order for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation, including the absence of any exterior shell water leaks;
c. The applicant is the property owner, or has sufficient written permission from the property owner, of the intended location of the proposed moveable tiny house;
d. Prior to the issuance of building permits, a covenant agreement shall be recorded which discloses the structure’s approved floor plan and status as a movable tiny home and agreeing that the property will be owner-occupied. This agreement shall be recorded in the office of the county recorder to provide constructive notice to all future owners of the property. The covenant agreement also may contain authorization for annual inspections for compliance with the agreement and to verify continued compliance with requirements of this section and health and safety codes. If a property can no longer be occupied as the owner’s primary place of residence, the movable tiny home shall no longer be used as overnight sleeping quarters. (Ord. 1705 § 51, 2021; Ord. 1657 § 19, 2019; Ord. 1650 § 3 (Exh. B), 2018)