Kimberley City Council has received a recommendation to direct staff to draft a revised Streets and Traffic Bylaw for Council’s consideration. The issue to be addressed is providing greater control of the parking or RVs and trailers on City streets.
In a report to Council, CAO Scott Sommerville and Corporate Office Maryse Leroux said that several complaints have been received over the years regarding the proliferation of RVs and trailers on city streets. With a growing population, parking for residents is at a premium, the report says.
Larger trailers and RVs can affect sight lines, especially when the bump outs are extended, causing safety issues.
There is also concern because a number of the RVs and trailers are occupied as living quarters, complete with running water and electrical cables across sidewalks, which raises numerous safety concerns.
Counts of these recreational vehicles have been made in the past few years, and in 2018 there were 182 trailers counted, up almost 80 from the previous year. There were also 15 motorhomes, 15 tent trailers, 18 boats on trailers, 47 utility trailers and even one logging truck with a trailer.
The current bylaw requires that unattached trailers not be parked on a street without a street occupancy permit. Right now, the bylaw has no time limit on how long a trailer can be parked on City streets.
It was noted in the report that Cranbrook does not allow unattached trailers to be parked on any roadway between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., and does not allow for vehicles or RVs to be occupied as living quarters when parked on city streets. Nelson also prohibits the parking of any unattached trailers on city streets.
The report also recommends that public education on any changes to the bylaw should begin as soon as possible, giving owners an opportunity to make other arrangements for storage of RVs and trailers.