Jump to content

Private land?


jbh

Recommended Posts

We're knocking around the idea of buying a small spot of land in the southeast US, installing services and pulling in the MH for seasonal use. We wouldn't be "residing" there, and of course it might not be feasible for many reasons.

 

In perusing Municode I've found that most cities or counties that have zoning or land-use ordinances forbid placing or occupying an RV just about anywhere that isn't a legal campground, of course with a few apparent exceptions. IOW, you can buy the land but no matter how rural you can't use it for that purpose.

 

So...if any of you know for certain that such use would be permitted please let me know, anywhere in the southeast. Thanks!

-C&J-

 

CG reviews & more - www.fugawetribe.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure when those rules started sneaking into the codes. It's been talked about recently in Colorado and I found a county in Iowa that has such rules too. It's probably a county by county issue and was thought to be a good idea by some "County Supervisor", but if you really check there may have been ulterior motives. Don't know any for a fact but.............

 

Rod

White 2000/2010Volvo VNL 770 with 7' Drom box with opposing doors,  JOST slider hitch. 600 HP Cummins Signature 18 Speed three pedal auto shift.

1999 Isuzu VehiCross retired to a sticks and bricks garage. Brought out of storage the summer of 2022

2022 Jeep Wrangler Sport S Two door hard top.

2007 Honda GL 1800

2013 Space Craft Mfg S420 Custom built Toyhauler

The Gold Volvo is still running and being emptied in July. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some folks get around this type of rule by building a small building that meets the rules. I've seen stand-alone buildings, ones that tied to the RV or that just had a platform at door height and a few that you pulled the RV inside.

First rule of computer consulting:

Sell a customer a Linux computer and you'll eat for a day.

Sell a customer a Windows computer and you'll eat for a lifetime.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We had the inspector come to the house south of Pearland, Tx when my daughter and her family were living in the RV. He stated it wasn't allowed but he wasn't concerned about it for us since we had an actual house for them to go to in the event of a storm.

Ron C.

2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3

2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Often rural areas allow barns with power, water and sewer. A great place to store your RV. A metal building with living quarters is another way.

 

What do you do in a rural area when you leave for 6 mos at a time? Break-ins, vandalism, etc. Insurance is cancelled if property is vacant for 30 days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

YUP nice steel building with windows. Pull the RV in and close the doors.

Steve and Joy

Amateur Radio Operator WZ1T . . .  Flex 6600 M,  Flex PGXL, Flex TGXL, 

2014 Itasca Suncruiser 38Q . . . Lincoln MKX Toad


The Kids . . . Yogi the Yorkie  passed 10/20/2018. . . Cookie the Chihuahua passed 11/30/2017 . . . Cooper the Aussie Doodle passed 3/10/2020

Abbie  and Abel  the Doodles . . . Brother and Sister Born 02/02/2020   . . . Lucy the Yorkie . . . and Axel  . . .The Bernie Doodle

 

Where We Are Now

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What do you do in a rural area when you leave for 6 mos at a time? Break-ins, vandalism, etc. Insurance is cancelled if property is vacant for 30 days.

You've obviously never insured a seasonal home. I've got 3 homes that all sit vacant for 6 months a year and are fully insured as seasonal homes. Since all 3 homes are insured with the same agent & underwriter, they are well aware I only use them part time. There is almost always a reasonable solution to any insurance situation as long as you're honest & upfront with your insurance agent.

The small town in Colorado where my summer home is, over 50% of the homes (mostly million dollar homes) are vacant most of the year. I assure you their insurance is never cancelled.

When I was working, I was frequently living out of state for 9 - 12 months at a time, managing major industrial construction projects. My home frequently remained vacant for a year.

Break ins and vandalism are a concern every where, not just rural. I use a combination of security systems, security cameras, nearby neighbors, and notifications to the local sheriff/police when I'm gone for extended periods. Maybe I'm just lucky, none of my many rural homes in 12 different states over the last 40 yrs has ever been broken into or vandalized.

 

To the OP, I can't help with the SE, but I've done what you contemplate in the western US in 3 different states. It varies widely county by county, many prohibit it, some allow it, some allow it for limited duration, some allow it while building on the property, some allow it if you have another habitable structure on the property, etc.

Almost all will require that you install a permitted water well and septic system first.

Jim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Insurance is cancelled if property is vacant for 30 days.

There is a difference between "vacant" and "unoccupied."

 

All of the insurance companies we've dealt with have insured our houses when we're not there during the winter, doing our snowbird thing. By "vacant," insurance companies mean there is nothing in the house, like furniture. No one I know who leaves their house unoccupied for months at a time, takes everything out of the house before they leave.

LindaH
2014 Winnebago Aspect 27K
2011 Kia Soul

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For insurance you might look at something intended for a vacation home rather than a regular home owner's policy.

 

When we started out full time we hit the 30 day occupancy rule on the house we had. We sold before we had to deal with changing the insurance to a policy that would cover us when we were off with the RV for months at a time.

First rule of computer consulting:

Sell a customer a Linux computer and you'll eat for a day.

Sell a customer a Windows computer and you'll eat for a lifetime.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We had a hefty claim on a home that we hadn't been in for months. The insurance knew we were not there. It was paid in full. My experience has been that rural areas are at least as safe as anywhere. We have lived in rural areas for decades without a problem.

Randy

2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The restrictions are zoning issues. Sometimes zoning is on a county by county basis, sometimes small towns will have their own zoning rules. And then there's the board of health, regulating water and septic.

 

The above suggestion to build a pole barn with utilities, and full hook-ups, inside, would be the simplest, and possibly the cheapest.

 

In the county where we live, south-eastern Indiana, I happen to be on the Board of Zoning Appeals. We see a few requests where folks want to move an rv or mobile home in so someone can care for elderly or sick parents. Problem is, when the parents are gone, there's now two families living on one tract, with an undersized septic, thus raw sewage running on the neighbor, and on and on........ There's a reason there are rules.

KW T-680, POPEMOBILE
Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN
Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row
Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer.
contact me at rickeieio1@comcast.net

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A friend of ours had a Morton Building put on their property and they had a choice of insulated or non insulated. They didn't insulate and in hind site wish that had but it still works well for them. I am sure there are several manufactures of metal buildings this is just a sample of some with RV garages: https://www.mortonbuildings.com/project/3383

 

I even saw an ad for Home Depot selling them but don't know if they put them up?

 

We have friends that travel 7 months out of the year and have an internet camera set up at their home base so they can monitor the property from wherever they are.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A friend of ours had a Morton Building put on their property and they had a choice of insulated or non insulated. They didn't insulate and in hind site wish that had but it still works well for them. I am sure there are several manufactures of metal buildings this is just a sample of some with RV garages:

Speaking of metal buildings, we live in one, as do most of our neighbors. The majority of homes like ours were put up with RV hookups in one side and the owner lived in the RV while building the apartment that is in the other side. It has worked for us. As whj suggests, we are in Texas.

th_web_home.jpg

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have land in North Georgia that I use for a few months a year. Full hookups and mountain views on a lot titled and permitted for RV use.

2013 DRV Mobile Suites 38TKSB3 w/ Hydra Lift motorcycle lift, MorRyde IS suspension, MorRyde hitch pin

2013 Ford F450 w/ Trailer Saver air hitch

2011 BMW R1200RT motorcycle

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought a rental property in the desert for this purpose. The house gives me an income and allowed me to build a shop that the

5th wheel fits inside. I'm in the process of extending the shop and building living quarters inside the expansion. We will use it as a home

base when we aren't travelling.

post-31377-0-13511700-1458584697_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rural Dallas County, Missouri, has no zoning laws or building codes. You can do whatever you want on your property. Buffalo, MO, does have both, but that's the county seat and the only place where there are more than a couple hundred people in a fairly small area.

 

We lived there, out in the country, for 15 years. Crime wasn't really any problem. Since we were teachers, we did have a few instances of fireworks during the night, but never any real problems. The last year we owned the property we were gone almost all of the time. The house was empty, and we had a neighbor come by on a regular basis to check things and mow the grass. Once during that time he reported that there were vehicle tracks that went around the house. No evidence that anyone had done anything other than drive around the house once. We never asked, but it could well have been a deputy doing his job.

 

The place is now sold, but there are other properties available. Temperatures seldom drop below 0 or go over 100. I think we could probably count on one hand the times when either happened. Some snow, but not much. Ice is more of a problem, and even then it is usually gone in a day or so. Good area to live in.

David Lininger, kb0zke
1993 Foretravel U300 40' (sold)
2022 Grand Design Reflection 315RLTS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting comments! My assessment is it can be a lifestyle choice, many of us have elected a free-less-controlled lifestyle. Yet we see a younger generation electing to have NO personal responsibility. Giving up and allowing DO GOODER elected officials to decide what is best for us. The trend to not permit RV living in many areas is spreading across the country. Could be a good question to ask folks running for office. Perhaps an issue for Escapees to become involved in for the members.

 

Safe Travels!

SKP #89742 - Lifetime membership - Member of the SKP Class of 2007
Good Sam Club - Lifetime Member
DataStorm #5423
Passport America - Lifetime Member
Sons Of The American Revolution (SAR) - Lifetime Member
American Legion - USAF - Lifetime Member
Rotary Club Member - 30 years

Escapee CARE Supporter

National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer

Link to comment
Share on other sites

about 5 years ago we were told by a real estate agent in Adams county, OH that Adams county has no building code. Driving along the highway that hugs the Ohio River we saw a lot that was nicely gravelled over with full RV hookups and a fifth wheel parked there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some folks get around this type of rule by building a small building that meets the rules. I've seen stand-alone buildings, ones that tied to the RV or that just had a platform at door height and a few that you pulled the RV inside.

 

Here in the NorthWest it is used to avoid paying fair property taxes.

 

People are putting huge steel buildings to house their RV's and then building a FULL HOUSE inside the steel building. They always leave room for the RV!! The county assessor just looks at the outside of the building and assumes it is just a garage.

 

So far they are getting away with it.

 

On your specific questions for an RV lot. In Idaho, several counties allow RV's on lots that are cannot be built upon since they are floodplains. In Idaho the floods come with spring run-off and water covers the entire property. Once the water recedes the RV's are allowed on site. Most have electricity on poles, but the counties prohibit septic systems so there are businesses that pump you out on a weekly basis for a fee.

 

This was a decade or more ago and I was surprised to find that the lots sold for more than 50,000 dollars in most cases. Well, you do get to use prime riverfront land for four months of the year.

 

They are very pretty rivers and the scenery is impacted by the RV's, but the property owners do get to use their property. The county does get tax revenue. And the taxpayers do not have to pay for flood insurance or the damage caused by floods.

Vladimr Steblina

Retired Forester...exploring the public lands.

usbackroads.blogspot.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

We're knocking around the idea of buying a small spot of land in the southeast US, installing services and pulling in the MH for seasonal use. We wouldn't be "residing" there, and of course it might not be feasible for many reasons.

 

In perusing Municode I've found that most cities or counties that have zoning or land-use ordinances forbid placing or occupying an RV just about anywhere that isn't a legal campground, of course with a few apparent exceptions. IOW, you can buy the land but no matter how rural you can't use it for that purpose.

 

So...if any of you know for certain that such use would be permitted please let me know, anywhere in the southeast. Thanks!

West Monroe LA. I have seen rv's on private land on the same street as nice houses. I have also seen trailers on the same street. I really liked West Monroe. I saw a guy with a lot of property on the Bayou D'arbonne in a small rv. This is also the same West Monroe that was made famous by the Robertson family in Duck Dynasty.

pavlovamericanroadtrip.blogspot.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

RVers Online University

campgroundviews.com

RV Destinations

Find out more or sign up for Escapees RV'ers Bootcamp.

Advertise your product or service here.

The Rvers- Now Streaming

RVTravel.com Logo



×
×
  • Create New...