Town of Osoyoos council is considering changing its regulations for RV parking. (File photo)

By Dale Boyd

Osoyoos Times

The Town of Osoyoos is eyeing up changes to RV parking including parking on residential streets for up to 24 hours without a permit.

Council asked for further details from staff at the May 21 regular meeting at Town Hall regarding the changes.

In 2009 the town passed a bylaw limiting recreational vehicle parking on the street to two hours except in an emergency.

“Over the past few years there have been requests from prospective visitors to Osoyoos for permits to park their RV in town lots while they stay at hotels or a family members home,” said Barry Romanko, chief administrative officer.

Private residents have also asked for extensions saying the two-hour window is too short to load or unload RVs, and some like to load up their RVs the night before a camping trip. As well, families with visitors driving RVs have expressed an interest in having their guests park overnight.

Council is looking to reconsider the bylaw allowing for parking of an RV for 24 hours without a permit, for more than 24 hours with a permit barring any connections to services on the property like electricity.

• Read more: Osoyoos brings bylaw services ‘in house’

The town is also looking at issuing permits for the 74 Street parking lot and the boat trailer parking lot.

Coun. CJ Rhodes cautioned staff and council to keep the need for the original bylaw in mind when creating changes to accommodate RVs.

“We do enjoy a single vehicle being able to park freely in our community, and that kind of thing, I wonder if we can keep that in mind while we are considering it,” Rhodes said.

“There was good purpose around developing this bylaw in the first place and I’d hate to compromise that in any way.”

Mayor Sue McKortoff expressed concerns for residents in cul-de-sacs and other areas who could be affected by close-quarters 24-hour parking situations.

“It concerns me it could be a tight squeeze,” she said.

Coun. Brian Harvey also expressed concerns of residents turning their street parking into a profitable space, adding residential parking is “not be turned into an opportunity to rent out your street-front, which is not your property.”

Staff will bring a further report to council at a later date including the concerns raised by council.