Causing an uproar

Lolita Harper

Costa Mesa City Hall was transformed Monday evening from a mundane

venue to a lively scene -- complete with cheers, applause and the

occasional outburst -- as more than 200 people packed the City Council

meeting in opposition to a proposed ban on motor homes.

Almost a dozen recreational vehicles were in the parking lot, while

the owners crowded council chambers, creating standing room only. They

stayed past 1 a.m. to express their views and succeeded in changing the

minds of city officials.

The City Council voted to postpone the issue to allow the city

attorney’s office to look at different options and come back with a

revised ordinance Feb. 4.

Councilwoman Libby Cowan suggested including a longer grace time to

park on a residential street for loading and unloading and hopes to

require motor homes to be parked in front, or next to, the address it is

registered to.

“We have a responsibility to protect those who don’t want an RV --

especially one they don’t own -- parked in front of their house,” Cowan

said.

On Dec. 17, council members voted 4 to 1 -- with Councilman Gary

Monahan dissenting -- to follow neighboring Newport Beach’s lead and ban

recreational and commercial vehicles from parking on residential streets.

Preliminary approval was granted at the December meeting, and the council

was expected to officially adopt the final version Monday.

The proposed law provided a 24-hour exception if the owners are

loading or unloading the vehicles, Costa Mesa Police Lt. Karl Schuler

said.

The complaint most often heard during the 2 1/2 hours of public

comment was that 24 hours was not enough time to load and unload

recreational vehicles. Of 51 people who spoke on the subject, about 45

said they could not get their rigs ready for a trip in one day.

“I cannot unload and clean an RV in 24 hours because I have a

full-time job,” said resident Irene Krinsky, whose comment was greeted

with overwhelming applause.

Slightly trailing that complaint was a large objection to recreational

vehicle owners who abuse the current 72-hour law by parking their rigs on

the street instead of paying for storage.

“Those that make it bad for everyone else are the ones who need to be

restricted, but I don’t see any other way than to address [all motor

homes],” said Nicole Lloyd, one of the few who supported the proposed

ordinance.Many audience members accused the City Council of punishing all

recreational vehicle owners for the irresponsible actions of a few.

Some owners work the system, Mark Hubbard said.

“Let’s find a way to put some teeth in the 72-hour rule and do that so

the law-abiding people don’t have to suffer because of a few

irresponsible owners,” Hubbard said.

Resident Inez McLane agreed and wondered how the new ordinance would

target the blatant violators more than the law already on the books.

“If you can’t enforce 72 hours, how are you going to do 24?” she

asked.

Mayor Linda Dixon asked Schuler to explain the enforcement issue, but

the lieutenant was interrupted by comments, jeers and loud snickers from

the audience. The mayor admonished the behavior.

“I would expect that we are all adults and respect someone when they

are answering our questions,” Dixon said.

The mayor’s warning was taken to heart for the moment, but later her

pleas for civility were forgotten.

Councilwoman Karen Robinson was concerned with one portion of the

ordinance that restricted vehicles of more than 6 feet in height, saying

it could affect many popular sport-utility vehicles, not unlike her own.

Schuler was willing to change that part, which angered the vigorous

audience.

Resident Mark Abrams said the council wanted to enact the law despite

overwhelming resident opposition, “but the council is willing to scrap [a

section] because it may affect their own personal vehicles.”

Dixon, again, jumped to her colleague’s defense.

During her own comments, however, the mayor was also interrupted by

the lively crowd.

In the 10 years Dixon has been involved with the city, she said she

has heard more complaints about motor homes and large vehicles than

anything else.

“A lot of people think they are beautiful, and a lot of people don’t,

and I have to respect both sides,” Dixon said. “I respect you coming out

here, and I respect those who I have heard from in the last 10 years.”

Before she could finish her thought, the audience erupted, shouting,

“Where are they?”

A handful of the residents Dixon was referring to were present and

expressed their concerns with the appearance of motor homes and dangers

of not being able to see around them.

Schuler said Tuesday he is working on a compromise. He hopes to devise

a new plan that would be lenient enough to allow sufficient time to load

and unload but still be strict enough to catch those who abuse the law.

The officer said he was glad the City Council listened to its

constituents and is willing to work on a compromise. Schuler even

admitted to a having a change of heart.

“I learned a lot Monday night,” Schuler said. “I don’t own an RV, so I

had no idea how long it takes to prepare it for a vacation. Clearly 24

hours is not long enough.”

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 [email protected] .