Unfair City Ordinance and Vigilantes Lurking With Cameras
I bought a 27 foot 1974 Travco in the late fall of 2004 at Charleston, SC and brought it home to Pinehurst, NC, better known and advertised as the “golf capital of the world†and home of the recent 2005 US Open. I arranged for storage of my RV off my property on January 24, 2005.
On January 27, 2005 I picked up a certified letter from the Village of Pinehurst dated January 20, 2005 reportedly due to a citizen complaint, stating I must remove the RV to a storage area within 5 days. Failure to do so would result in a fine of $50 per day. I called the city immediately to let them know I had put the RV in storage on January 24, 2005. In addition, I asked how I could bring the RV home to get ready for trips, do minor restoration and maintenance, etc. It was arranged I could bring the RV home for same for 48 hours upon e-mailing the city to let them know when I was bringing the RV home and when I would be returning it to storage. If someone complained, we would have to do something else. This seemed a reasonable solution.
I called the city during the summer of 2005 to make sure everything was working out with our arrangement and was told that there was talk of reducing the time limit to 24 hours and that everyone owning an RV would be getting a letter stating same soon. I thought 48 hours was reasonable, but 24 hours was not. I never received said letter. Anyway, I just kept emailing the city and doing the 48 hour thing as before.
After about 15 months of using the 48 hour arrangement, I received another letter on 3/30/06 reportedly due to a second citizen complaint. Seems this citizen was mad at the city because he had to remove his utility trailer parked at his home so he took it upon himself to cruise the city looking for code violations and filing complaints. Sadly, I had apparently brought our RV home on one weekend he was cruising. In any event, the letter went on to say that now, if the RV is owned by the property owners, it may be kept on the property for no more than 12 hours for loading and unloading. And, it is accepted policy at the city that a citizen can shoot dated, digital pictures and give them to the city for them to use as evidence of violations and to issue citations.
Upon receipt of this letter I phoned the city to discuss the issues. First, what had happened to cause the time limit to go from 48 hours to 24 hours to now to 12 hours in about a year, which I felt was unreasonable, unfriendly, and created very negative climate within our community. I was told this was done at a city council meeting about the fall of 2005. Reportedly, public notice was given in regard to this meeting and was attended by a few upset RV owners but the council passed it anyway. I stated I never heard anything about this meeting or I would have obviously been there to put in my two cents worth. And second, how come a vigilante with a chip on his shoulder is allowed to hang out in front of other citizen’s homes and take pictures. I said in this day of terrorism, pedophiles, stalkers, perverts, molesters, registered sex offenders, etc., how in the world could this type of all around negative, and potentially dangerous policy be approved and adopted by the city. I was told that this was done all over the country and was a fully acceptable method of operation. Has anyone heard of this before?
Continuing, I decided to go down to city hall to obtain a copy of Pinehurst’s ORDINANCE #03-54 and to try to get a better understanding of the history of the reasons for the negative actions towards RVs and their owners over the years. The present version of the ordinance was adopted on November 25, 2003. It states, “WHEREAS, the Village Council of the Village of Pinehurst finds that parking and storage of certain vehicles are detrimental to the appearance of the Village, adversely impact the value of property throughout the Village and are detrimental to tourism and the Village’s economic well being.†Recreational vehicles are named further on in the document, apparently, as perpetrators of the above. In addition the ordinance states, “Commercial Vehicles, Oversized Vehicles (note, this is how RVs are classified) and Trailers shall not be parked or stored in any residentially zoned districts or on any public right of way adjacent thereto unless they are kept within a totally enclosed structureâ€.
I asked about the 48, 24, or 12 hour exceptions and was told this time, contrary to their recent letter to me, the exemptions really didn’t exist but were used by code enforcement to handle individual circumstances. And even though I was told about the 2005 council meeting on the phone yesterday, now I was told that no changes and/or exceptions were made to the existing ordinance adopted in 2003. The actual written ordinance I just received a copy of did not allow for ANY EXCEPTIONS FOR RVs.
So, given same, if anyone, property owner or visitor of a property owner or an RV traveler just wanting to spend some time and/or money and/or take in a game of golf or two, ever parks an RV on private property or on a public right of way within city limits for even a minute, they are subject to a $50 fine. Thus, it seems one must check ones RV at the city limits so to speak or take it to the city suggested RV park, or pay $50 a day in fines. The city suggested RV park is The Village of Pinehurst RV Park. Check it out at
http://www.pinehurstrvpark.com .
At this juncture of my trying to understand the situation, I had a verbal confirmation of a 48 hour and a 24 hour exception, a 12 hour exception in writing, and now a verbal 0 hour exception. One of the people I talked to didn’t know about the roaming vigilantes and agreed with me that it was not good and he would not accept citizen pictures as evidence. I began to realize the reason for the all the confusion is that the city employees are trying to do their level best to deal with a public policy adopted by the city council that is so unreasonable that it can not be enforced fairly and, in my opinion, legally. But remains just the same. I feel sorry for those persons just trying to do their job under such trying circumstances. I sensed they are trying to work with our citizens on both sides of the issue out the best they can, without losing their jobs.
I thanked them and mentioned that I was going to put this situation in the hands of the RVing public for their opinions and hopefully help. I said I had no beef with them personally, but I definitely took issue with what seems to be an unjust RV ordinance put in place by the city council and the use of angry vigilantes roaming around with cameras gathering evidence against their fellow citizens.
Also, I have to note here that, “Boats may be parked on private property for no more than seven days each month.†I asked why boats were ok and RVs were not and was told the city didn’t want to curb recreation and wanted to give lakefront owners a break. Check it out at .
http://www.villageofpinehurst.org/departments/planning/information/code_enfocement.htm .
Lastly, the council members including the mayor have no published email addresses but do publish their names and pictures. See . http://www.villageofpinehurst.org/departments/council/VOP_dept_council.htm .
The Village Manager, Andrew Wilkison’s email address is awilkison@villageofpinehurst.org . The city’s fax number is 910-295-1396. The regular mailing address is:
The Village of Pinehurst
395 Magnolia Road
Pinehurst, NC 28374
910-295-2581 (city hall)
910-295-1900 (city council)
I have 2 liver diseases and my significant other has had 3 cancer surgeries and subsequent radiation and cobalt treatments so we do not have the strength to deal with these “city hall†issues alone. We use our Travco as much as we possibly can and enjoy our time together in the wide open country fresh air so very much. Sandra and I would sure appreciate any help from our fellow RVers.
Warmest regards,
Jeff and Sandra
Pinehurst, NC
tazcatt@juno
I bought a 27 foot 1974 Travco in the late fall of 2004 at Charleston, SC and brought it home to Pinehurst, NC, better known and advertised as the “golf capital of the world†and home of the recent 2005 US Open. I arranged for storage of my RV off my property on January 24, 2005.
On January 27, 2005 I picked up a certified letter from the Village of Pinehurst dated January 20, 2005 reportedly due to a citizen complaint, stating I must remove the RV to a storage area within 5 days. Failure to do so would result in a fine of $50 per day. I called the city immediately to let them know I had put the RV in storage on January 24, 2005. In addition, I asked how I could bring the RV home to get ready for trips, do minor restoration and maintenance, etc. It was arranged I could bring the RV home for same for 48 hours upon e-mailing the city to let them know when I was bringing the RV home and when I would be returning it to storage. If someone complained, we would have to do something else. This seemed a reasonable solution.
I called the city during the summer of 2005 to make sure everything was working out with our arrangement and was told that there was talk of reducing the time limit to 24 hours and that everyone owning an RV would be getting a letter stating same soon. I thought 48 hours was reasonable, but 24 hours was not. I never received said letter. Anyway, I just kept emailing the city and doing the 48 hour thing as before.
After about 15 months of using the 48 hour arrangement, I received another letter on 3/30/06 reportedly due to a second citizen complaint. Seems this citizen was mad at the city because he had to remove his utility trailer parked at his home so he took it upon himself to cruise the city looking for code violations and filing complaints. Sadly, I had apparently brought our RV home on one weekend he was cruising. In any event, the letter went on to say that now, if the RV is owned by the property owners, it may be kept on the property for no more than 12 hours for loading and unloading. And, it is accepted policy at the city that a citizen can shoot dated, digital pictures and give them to the city for them to use as evidence of violations and to issue citations.
Upon receipt of this letter I phoned the city to discuss the issues. First, what had happened to cause the time limit to go from 48 hours to 24 hours to now to 12 hours in about a year, which I felt was unreasonable, unfriendly, and created very negative climate within our community. I was told this was done at a city council meeting about the fall of 2005. Reportedly, public notice was given in regard to this meeting and was attended by a few upset RV owners but the council passed it anyway. I stated I never heard anything about this meeting or I would have obviously been there to put in my two cents worth. And second, how come a vigilante with a chip on his shoulder is allowed to hang out in front of other citizen’s homes and take pictures. I said in this day of terrorism, pedophiles, stalkers, perverts, molesters, registered sex offenders, etc., how in the world could this type of all around negative, and potentially dangerous policy be approved and adopted by the city. I was told that this was done all over the country and was a fully acceptable method of operation. Has anyone heard of this before?
Continuing, I decided to go down to city hall to obtain a copy of Pinehurst’s ORDINANCE #03-54 and to try to get a better understanding of the history of the reasons for the negative actions towards RVs and their owners over the years. The present version of the ordinance was adopted on November 25, 2003. It states, “WHEREAS, the Village Council of the Village of Pinehurst finds that parking and storage of certain vehicles are detrimental to the appearance of the Village, adversely impact the value of property throughout the Village and are detrimental to tourism and the Village’s economic well being.†Recreational vehicles are named further on in the document, apparently, as perpetrators of the above. In addition the ordinance states, “Commercial Vehicles, Oversized Vehicles (note, this is how RVs are classified) and Trailers shall not be parked or stored in any residentially zoned districts or on any public right of way adjacent thereto unless they are kept within a totally enclosed structureâ€.
I asked about the 48, 24, or 12 hour exceptions and was told this time, contrary to their recent letter to me, the exemptions really didn’t exist but were used by code enforcement to handle individual circumstances. And even though I was told about the 2005 council meeting on the phone yesterday, now I was told that no changes and/or exceptions were made to the existing ordinance adopted in 2003. The actual written ordinance I just received a copy of did not allow for ANY EXCEPTIONS FOR RVs.
So, given same, if anyone, property owner or visitor of a property owner or an RV traveler just wanting to spend some time and/or money and/or take in a game of golf or two, ever parks an RV on private property or on a public right of way within city limits for even a minute, they are subject to a $50 fine. Thus, it seems one must check ones RV at the city limits so to speak or take it to the city suggested RV park, or pay $50 a day in fines. The city suggested RV park is The Village of Pinehurst RV Park. Check it out at
http://www.pinehurstrvpark.com .
At this juncture of my trying to understand the situation, I had a verbal confirmation of a 48 hour and a 24 hour exception, a 12 hour exception in writing, and now a verbal 0 hour exception. One of the people I talked to didn’t know about the roaming vigilantes and agreed with me that it was not good and he would not accept citizen pictures as evidence. I began to realize the reason for the all the confusion is that the city employees are trying to do their level best to deal with a public policy adopted by the city council that is so unreasonable that it can not be enforced fairly and, in my opinion, legally. But remains just the same. I feel sorry for those persons just trying to do their job under such trying circumstances. I sensed they are trying to work with our citizens on both sides of the issue out the best they can, without losing their jobs.
I thanked them and mentioned that I was going to put this situation in the hands of the RVing public for their opinions and hopefully help. I said I had no beef with them personally, but I definitely took issue with what seems to be an unjust RV ordinance put in place by the city council and the use of angry vigilantes roaming around with cameras gathering evidence against their fellow citizens.
Also, I have to note here that, “Boats may be parked on private property for no more than seven days each month.†I asked why boats were ok and RVs were not and was told the city didn’t want to curb recreation and wanted to give lakefront owners a break. Check it out at .
http://www.villageofpinehurst.org/departments/planning/information/code_enfocement.htm .
Lastly, the council members including the mayor have no published email addresses but do publish their names and pictures. See . http://www.villageofpinehurst.org/departments/council/VOP_dept_council.htm .
The Village Manager, Andrew Wilkison’s email address is awilkison@villageofpinehurst.org . The city’s fax number is 910-295-1396. The regular mailing address is:
The Village of Pinehurst
395 Magnolia Road
Pinehurst, NC 28374
910-295-2581 (city hall)
910-295-1900 (city council)
I have 2 liver diseases and my significant other has had 3 cancer surgeries and subsequent radiation and cobalt treatments so we do not have the strength to deal with these “city hall†issues alone. We use our Travco as much as we possibly can and enjoy our time together in the wide open country fresh air so very much. Sandra and I would sure appreciate any help from our fellow RVers.
Warmest regards,
Jeff and Sandra
Pinehurst, NC
tazcatt@juno