See full version: Boat in my driveway
Around here it?s pretty common for communities or homeowners associations to have covenants against storing a boat on your property. There are no local laws against it but the agreement not to store a boat is written into your deed.
There are two situations (and possibly more) that govern what you can park in your yard. 1) Municipal ordinances and 2) neighborhood associations. In the case of municipal ordinances, they usually fall under the nuisance ordinance category and apply to all sorts of vehicles, utility trailers, campers, boats, unlicensed cars and trucks, motor homes, etc. If the city cannot provide you with the ordinance that you violtated they have no grounds to stop you from parking the boat on your property. On the other hand, neighborhood associations can be far more restrictive than municipal rules. They can be so strict that they may prevent you from leaving a bicycle in the yard overnight. If that's what you are up against, I urge you take a stroll around the neighborhood and note anything and everything that you have no interest in. At the next association meeting tell the neighbor that dislikes your boat that you don't like the color of his car or truck as it clashes with the rest of the neighborhood. In other words, fight fire with fire. Then be prepared to fight your way onto the association board and start a movement to retract some of the more restrictive rules. Unfortunately, getting too lax results in someone parking a school bus turned into a camper in the neighborhood. Most communities that aren't affected by an association, are affected by municipal ordinanaces that prevent commercial vehicles (those with signage) on private property. There may be vehicle length restrictions (regardless what the vehicle is). I've seen 25 feet in many communities. Many say a boat must be garaged, parked on a side lot and not extending past the front of the home, etc. Anyway -- know the law and fight your fight. here
Check with your homeowners association for such covenants and if they don?t exist I?d fight it in court.
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The city first took up the issue in January, with an initial ordinance from staff that the council determined to be overreaching. At issue was the inclusion of a ban on the parking of boats, RVs and trailers on front yards, which brought numerous complaints from the public, decrying such restrictions in a riverfront community. more
The ordinance prohibits parking in front yards, but does allow residents to construct additional parking parallel to existing driveways. The additions must be paved with concrete, asphalt, brick, pavers or organic mulch. They also may be surfaced with crushed stone or rock, gravel or shell. The ordinance does not address parking in back yards.
"This is going to negatively affect certain people who take care of their properties, there's no doubt about that. But at the end of the day, we have to, and I have to vote for what I think is the best for all of New Port Richey," council member Jeff Starkey said. more
The city staff later came back with an ordinance that excluded watercraft, RVs and trailers from the ordinance, which lessened outcry. more
Park the boat beyond the setback and there is not much they can do about it. more
The have it to appease the neighbors more than anything else.
What really yanks my chain is they won't tell you who called in. I get why but its still weak more
Contact Code Enforcement. Another option is to call Citizen Services (name may have changed), if they can't answer your question, they should be able to tell you who to contact. After that, call your councilman. more
If you were there first you should absolutely be able to do whatever you want - and I'd take them to court if I couldn't. If you moved into a neighborhood with rules, you should follow them. unless you can find little loopholes. [links]
Re: Zoning regulations - Boat in Driveway more
Re: Zoning regulations - Boat in Driveway
Re: Zoning regulations - Boat in Driveway
Re: Zoning regulations - Boat in Driveway more