CITY OF LAKE LAFAYETTE CAMPER ORDINANCE
AN ORDINANCE REGULATING THE PARKING, STORAGE, AND OCCUPANCY OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES, MOTORHOMES,
CAMPERS, AND TRAILERS IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS; PROVIDING DEFINITIONS, PROHIBITIONS, PERMITTED
EXCEPTIONS, ENFORCEMENT, AND PENALTIES; AND REPEALING ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT THEREWITH.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN OF THE CITY OF LAKE LAFAYETTE, MISSOURI, AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Findings and Purpose
The Board of Aldermen finds that the long-term parking, storage, and occupancy of recreational
vehicles, motorhomes, campers, and trailers in front yards and along residential street frontages
adversely affect neighborhood character, property values, pedestrian and emergency access, and
public health and safety. The purpose of this ordinance is to preserve residential quality while
allowing limited, reasonable temporary and seasonal recreational use and storage.
Section 2. Definitions
A. Recreational Vehicle (RV): Any vehicle or portable structure primarily designed for recreational
occupancy, including motorhomes, travel trailers, camping trailers, camper vans, truck campers,
popup campers, fifth-wheel trailers, and similar units. (extended definition in Bill 89, 46.100,
A).
B. Occupy: to utilize for living purposes including sleeping, cooking, bathing, or habitation or
being otherwise used for residency, dwelling or camping purposes.
C. Front Yard: The area of a lot between the front property line and the front wall of the
principal structure, as defined by the zoning code.
D. Curbside/Frontage: The public right-of-way along the front property line, including any adjacent
on-street parking space.
E. Long-Term Parking: Parking or placement of an RV in the front yard, driveway, or curbside for
more than seventy-two (72) consecutive hours, or for more than one hundred twenty (120) total hours
in any thirty (30) day period.
F. Temporary Parking: Parking for loading/unloading, household moving, or guest use not exceeding
seventy-two (72) consecutive hours.
G. Residential Parcel: Any lot or multiple contiguous lots joined together either as a parcel or
listed separately and under the same owners name.H. Setback: Distance of physical occupiable structures must be from the edge of the street.(ln
accordance with ordinance# physical structure distance from a street edge is to be
twenty five (25 feet)).
I. One day is defined as beginning at 12:00 PM. to 12:00, PM the following day.
Section 3. Prohibited Acts
A.It shall be unlawful to park, place, store, or occupy a Recreational Vehicle RV), motorhome,
camper, or occupiable trailer within the city limits of the city of lake Lafayette without a permit
issued by the City Clerk upon arrival.
B. It shall be unlawful to occupy any RV, motorhome, camper, or occupiable trailer on the same
parcel of land as a residential dwelling that is also currently inhabited without a permit issued
by the City Clerk.
C. It shall be unlawful to park, place, store, or occupy a Recreational Vehicle RV, motorhome,
camper, or occupiable trailer within the front yard or curbside of a residential dwelling for
long-term parking or occupancy.
D. It shall be unlawful to occupy an RV, motorhome, camper, or occupiable trailer located on public
right-of-way or private property in a manner constituting long-term occupancy.
E.Parking an RV, motorhome, camper, or occupiable trailer in a driveway extending into the front
yard shall be subject to the same restrictions.
F. No RV, motorhome, camper, or occupiable trailer shall be parked or stored on a residential lot
any closer to the street than the front wall of the principal residential structure.
G. Stored RVs, motorhome, camper, or occupiable trailers shall not be connected to any utility
service.
H. All slide-outs, pop-outs, awnings, or other extendable sections including steps shall remain
fully retracted while stored. All sanitary drains shall be closed and sealed for storage.
I. No more than one (1) RV, motorhome, camper, or occupiable trailer may be parked, stored or
occupied on any residential parcel at any time unless each camper is on a separate lake association
lot.
Section 4. Permitted Exceptions
A. Temporary parking up to seventy-two (72) consecutive hours for loading/unloading, trip
preparation, household moving, or permit applications.
B. Parking associated with active construction when authorized by a construction permit.
C. Emergency situations officially declared by a recognized authority.
D. Parking wholly within an enclosed garage or wholly within a rear or side yard in compliance with
zoning setbacks and not visible from the public right-of-way.
E. Temporary permits issued by the City Clerk or designee for entertaining guests, home repairs.or
other temporary causes not to exceed fourteen (14) days per permit and two
(2) permits per calendar year per property.
F. Construction permits shall be for 120 days maximum.
G. This section is to amend 46.110, F and G. Of bill 89. There are no exemptions, only exceptions
as listed in this section.
H. Emergencies as declared by the Mayor, County commissioner.or State Governor directly impacting
the city of Lake Lafayette Missouri and its residents.
I. Electrical connection to unit battery tender only.
Section 5. Permit Process
A. Application shall be made in writing to the City Clerk or designee, stating property address,
vehicle description, reason, and requested dates.
B. A nonrefundable administrative fee of twenty-five dollars, ($25.00) shall be charged for each
permit issued.
C. The City Clerk or designee shall approve, deny, or conditionally approve within seven (7)
business days.
D. Permits may be revoked for noncompliance or misrepresentation.
Section SA. Inspection and Occupancy Permit Required
A. No recreational vehicle, motorhome, camper, or trailer shall be stored or occupied within the
City of Lake Lafayette without first obtaining an Occupancy Permit issued by the City Clerk
following inspection.
B. The inspection shall verify compliance with:
- Location and setback requirements of this ordinance.
- Prohibition on front yard or curbside placement.
- Utility connection restrictions.
- Safety standards established by the City, including fire access and sanitation.
- Pad requirements.
C. The City Clerk, in consultation with the Code Enforcement Officer, shall issue the Occupancy
Permit only upon satisfactory completion of inspection. A durable permit placard shall be displayed
on the street facing wall of the RV or Camper vehicle.
D.Occupancy of any camper, RV, or trailer without a valid permit shall constitute a violation
subject to the penalties set forth in Section 6.
E. Owners have 72 hours to apply for inspection and permits.
F. This amends 46.110 E, 2 to read: “Gravel pads shall have a landscape weed barrier of at least a
two ounce, (2oz.) fabric weight placed between the ground and gravel”.
Section 6. Enforcement and Penalties
A. Any violation of this ordinance shall be an infraction punishable by a civil fine of not more
than five hundred dollars ($500.00) per violation.
B. Vehicles in violation may be cited and, if not corrected within Seventy two (72) hours of
notice, may be removed and impounded at the owner’s expense.
Section 7. Notice and Abatement
A. Enforcement officers shall issue a written Notice of Violation describing the breach, corrective
action, and compliance deadline.
B. Failure to comply authorizes issuance of a citation and, if necessary, removal of the vehicle.
C. Owners shall have the right to an administrative hearing if requested within the time specified
in the notice.
Section 8. Severability
If any section or provision of this ordinance is declared invalid, the remainder shall remain in
full force and effect.
Section 10. Repealer
All ordinances or parts of ordinances previously adopted by the City of Lake Lafayette that are
inconsistent with the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent of such
inconsistency and no further. It is the intent of the Board of Aldermen that this ordinance shall
be harmonized with existing provisions of the City Code wherever possible, and only those specific
provisions that cannot be reconciled are repealed.