GALT, CA (MPG) - The Galt City Council and the local community will have the opportunity to discuss an ordinance that bars residents from parking large vehicles, including RVs, boats and trailers, in their driveways.

City Manager Chris Erias in an email to the Herald said residents and the City Council will have the opportunity to discuss and comment on the matter after the body receives a presentation on the ordinance at an upcoming April meeting. The agenda date had not been set as of press time. 

The ordinance became a point of frustration in mid-February after dozens of Galt residents received notices from the city’s Code Enforcement department detailing a potential $100 fine if the vehicles were not removed from their driveways in 30 days. The fines could increase up to $500, or $100 a day, according to city code. 

The ordinance has been in the city code for nearly 30 years. 

Since the dustup, two change.org petitions have been launched, one hoping to repeal the ordinance, the other to keep the original ordinance in place. The repeal petition, launched on Feb. 15, has gained nearly 500 signatures as of press time. The organizers also created a Facebook group to continue to discuss the matter online. 

A commenter going by Marla called the potential fines “government overreach.”

“Homeowners should be able to park their own recreational vehicles on their own property that they paid for,” Marla wrote. “Most of the owners that have RVs bought their homes with this in mind. RV parking is often listed as an added bonus feature when buying a home. “

A commentor named Jacob called the ordinance “illogical.” 

“It’s unacceptable and you’re telling people that they now have to afford another bill,” Jacob wrote. 

City Code Enforcement Supervisor TJ Guidotti has said that the intention is not to fine residents, and that the department will work with homeowners on a case-by-case basis. 

Not everyone was in favor of repealing the ordinance. The petition against repealing the ordinance has 76 signatures and was created 11 days after the first petition.

A commentor going by Mary said that “RV’s don’t belong parked in driveways.” 

“I don’t want my neighborhood looking like an RV park,” Mary wrote. “Plan financially before you buy an RV – rent a space to park the RV or purchase a property in Galt that offers RV garages.”

Another commentor, Julie, was concerned that RV’s parked in a driveway could block oncoming traffic and pedestrians who might be crossing the driveway.  

“It is a safety issue for the neighborhood when RV’s and large boats are preventing full visibility of the sidewalks and roads the public uses,” Julie wrote.

Erias said staff preference would be to keep the code as is. 

“The current code is very black and white,” Erias wrote in an email. “The trailer/RV/boat is either parked incorrectly, or its not.” 

He added that finding a middle ground provides for a more “subjective approach.” 

“Since the council meeting and the news reports on the item, we have received many citizen comments supporting the current code,” Erias wrote. “In my 15 years of working with code enforcement in Galt, illegal trailer/RV/boat parking has been the number one code complaint.” 

Vice Mayor Paul Sandhu commented on the repeal petition that he was open to considering the revised ordinance, but that there was a proper way of reviewing the ordinance. 

“While I understand and am open to considering revising this ordinance, there is a proper protocol and process that must be undertaken,” Sandhu wrote. “This includes getting this issue included as an agenda item on a future city council meeting and specific ordinance proposals for the council to weigh pros and cons.”

Mayor Shawn Farmer said based off the amount of public discussion surrounding the issue, it would be prudent for the council to do a review of the ordinance and to gather input from the community. 

“Now under that conversation, if we look at something in there and think maybe we should do some type of tweaking on this, that or the other thing, then that would be the time to do it,” Farmer said.