New house, any issues with parking in this driveway?

[TowPro]

I used to live in a rural area where there was $350,000 homes 1-2 acres, on back country road. We used to have neighbors throw out stuff like TV, mattresses, hot water heaters, things that the everyone knows the trashman don't take, and they would lay there for 6 months until another neighbor would get tired of looking at them and haul it away.

Most of these homes are in woods, so there really is not an edge to the road you can pull over on, I have seen neighbors sit in middle of the one lane on this 2 land back road, 100' from there house, waiting with the kids in the mini van for school bus. At this same location there was an assortment of 47 water bottles and paper coffee cups (yes, on another neighbors property, who got tired of picking it up)


Than someone opened a junk yard on a larger piece of property up the street, no rules could stop him.

When I moved I had no problem moving into an HOA.

[Chuck_S]

Zoning and HOA bylaws may seen restrictive but protect property values in my experience. City zoning in one of our houses forbid anything parked in front of the front line of the house and guys with L-shaped houses could park junk, but registered, cars that didn't move for years in their driveways with impunity while we were limited to parking them on the side or back. HOAs rarely permit this for good reasons.

Trailer parking like the photo here is something we do for a few days at a time but I'd never subject my neighbors to that view much longer. Even if it was legal or permitted. Makes my house look bad and that makes the neighborhood look bad.

YMMV, obviously. Glad you're not next door or even on my street. Sorry.

-- Chuck

[babock]

Depends on the city but that would be illegal where we live. Saying that, we have our trailer in front of our house but our house is very set back from the street. If there is a neighbor that complains hard enough, could be an issue.

At our vacation house in Lake Tahoe, you can't have any trailer in the driveway with our HOA laws. Since every house has a dock in the backyard it would look like crap with boat trailer in every driveway. I am actually glad!

As far as rolling away, I see zero issues with that. It's not that slanted a driveway.

Here is our trailer in our front yard. Of courser we have a gate and fencing across our front which also helps with zoning.

[D W]

Originally Posted by Chuck_S

Zoning and HOA bylaws may seen restrictive but protect property values in my experience. City zoning in one of our houses forbid anything parked in front of the front line of the house and guys with L-shaped houses could park junk, but registered, cars that didn't move for years in their driveways with impunity while we were limited to parking them on the side or back. HOAs rarely permit this for good reasons.

Trailer parking like the photo here is something we do for a few days at a time but I'd never subject my neighbors to that view much longer. Even if it was legal or permitted. Makes my house look bad and that makes the neighborhood look bad.

YMMV, obviously. Glad you're not next door or even on my street. Sorry.

-- Chuck

I've got more in life to enjoy rather than worry about the shape of my neighbor's house, or what he or I have in the front of my house. In 35 years it hasn't affected my property values one iota. Where I live we don't concern ourselves with neighbors, unless they're in need of help. The rest of the nation could learn a lesson from this.

[babock]

Originally Posted by D W

I've got more in life to enjoy rather than worry about the shape of my neighbor's house, or what he or I have in the front of my house. In 35 years it hasn't affected my property values one iota. Where I live we don't concern ourselves with neighbors, unless they're in need of help. The rest of the nation could learn a lesson from this.

We have a neighbor down the street that has a dump trailer, a flat bed trailer, a tractor and a boat in his front yard. In addition he is doing a garage modification into a living area that has plywood up for around a year now since he basically stopped working on it. He doesn't have a huge yard. Yes, it would affect property values to the neighbor on each side of him and across the street. I need to take a picture of it...is crazy!

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by D W

I've got more in life to enjoy rather than worry about the shape of my neighbor's house, or what he or I have in the front of my house. In 35 years it hasn't affected my property values one iota. Where I live we don't concern ourselves with neighbors, unless they're in need of help. The rest of the nation could learn a lesson from this.

The property value you refer to is what the tax man says it's worth.

The REAL value will be what you can get when you sell.

That's when those houses with junk all over, in a perpetual state of remodel, unpainted since built, project cars in the yard covered with ragged tarps, and moss/mildew/bird crsp covered 70's vintage trailers, have an effect on potential purchasers.

[Just Mike]

slanahan - I believe your actual question regarded whether the camper being parked on a sloped driveway was safe. My driveway has a much steeper slope, but we parked our E-Pro 19FBS in the driveway for several months until I could get a side driveway installed. I had no issues and would do it again in a pinch. If I had a dual axle camper, I would consider the suggestion to use x-chocks. Other than that, I think you will be fine. BTW - there are about five other campers in the neighborhood and most of them have steep driveways...

[slanahan]

Originally Posted by Ejs4029

I personally probably wouldn't buy a house in a neighborhood that allows recreational vehicles or boats to be allowed to be parked in the front driveway on of the reasons being is while that Roo is shiny and new and looks nice your going to have the potential from someone in that neighborhood to have a 20 year old ratty looking TT or boat covered with blue tarps sitting in the driveway not something I would want to look at if I was neighbor....

But hey that's just me I live in an HOA of 40 homes each having an acre +- sized lot luckly for me I can park my TT on my property has long as it is behind the rear of the house.

My next house if there is going to ever be one will be out in the sticks and have atleast 5 acres with no neighbors

The driveway is actually on the side of the house. Plenty of boats and trailers in the neighborhood. Nothing ratty or not maintained. We picked an older neighborhood with no HOA or covenants specifically so we could park our trailer at the house.

[slanahan]

Originally Posted by Just Mike

slanahan - I believe your actual question regarded whether the camper being parked on a sloped driveway was safe. My driveway has a much steeper slope, but we parked our E-Pro 19FBS in the driveway for several months until I could get a side driveway installed. I had no issues and would do it again in a pinch. If I had a dual axle camper, I would consider the suggestion to use x-chocks. Other than that, I think you will be fine. BTW - there are about five other campers in the neighborhood and most of them have steep driveways...

Yes! Thank you!

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by slanahan

The driveway is actually on the side of the house. Plenty of boats and trailers in the neighborhood. Nothing ratty or not maintained. We picked an older neighborhood with no HOA or covenants specifically so we could park our trailer at the house.

We lived in an older neighborhood, in Napa, California. Parked our Roo in our driveway, just like yours.
No HOA or covenants.
When we put the house on the market, we simply moved the Roo to a storage yard, only to make it easier to show. Never affected our property values nor our neighbors.

[frank4711]

I see no problem and park it were you want

[dward51]

Let me throw this comment about HOA's into the mix. Just because the HOA says you have a HOA, does not make it so.

Short story, I inherited my parents house in a nice upscale subdivision when they passed. Shortly afterwards, I started getting letters from the HOA about this and that (we don't live in that house). Well, with my background I know where to research the laws. Short story is the "HOA" was a HOA in name only. They had not followed any of the requirements of the State law to form a legal HOA. I sent them a certified letter and pointed this out to the board and also placed them on a "no trespass" notice. They admitted they could not provide any copies of the required documents (which also had to be publicly recorded at the courthouse - and they were not). So no more pesky HOA for me at that house.

The point is make sure they are a legal HOA and have followed the actual law. Don't take their word and threats for granted as being valid if you have to deal with a HOA.

[GL1800Rider]

Originally Posted by Iwannacamp

If you mean rolling away.... if I were concerned I would put an anchor in the concrete and run a cable to the axle and padlock that. 1/4” cable will be plenty strong....just don’t forget to take it off when leaving.

Bad things could happen with this. Just like the cop car scene in American Graffiti.

Seriously, the only concern I would have is making sure it can't roll if the hitch were to come off the blocks. Maybe a little extra blocking.

[H20loo]

My driveway has a similar slope and my tt tongue is probably close to 30" high when leveled- never a problem. I do chock all four wheels and put stabilizers down if doing more than just storing. There are close to a dozen TT or campers around our area and all of them come and go over the summer and disappear for the winter Never heard any concerns.

[Chuck_S]

No need to level the camper when parked. Inter-wheel chocks only stop the wheels from turning; they'll still slide/skid if the slope is steep enough. Good set of commercial wheel chocks, as used by trucks, is recommended.

Respect your neighbors, zoning, and HOA requirements. I'd not be surprised if 99% of this is complaint driven. We were allowed side yard trailer parking in an earlier home and I got a complaint (from the city as this was a zoning issue). Seemed the tongue of my boat trailer projected 6" beyond the front line of the the house -- broke the plane! Took 10 minutes to fix. No one could tell this from the street or sidewalk. Guess my new neighbors didn't like my boat. Two derelict 1960's Pontiac GTOs stayed in the driveway of another house in the city for years-- that L-shape kept them behind the front line of the house. Met the law's requirements but not the spirit -- but only the requirements count.

A few years ago I kept the Roo in my driveway for two weeks while our bathrooms were being remodeled. 1960s 1-1/2 bath house so I needed a place to shower in the morning. I visited my (different) neighbors prior to this and let them know of this temporary arrangement. No problems. It was interesting walking out to the driveway on cold, windy October mornings in my bathrobe. Little Roo bathroom did fine and the trailer was snug in a barn at the fairgrounds immediately afterwards.

-- Chuck

[Cruver]

Originally Posted by Brother Les

Does he know that your slide out is over your grass.....? The grass may die and you will have a dirt spot.... oh, the humanity...

I find that the vast majority of camping people/Families are great to be around in campgrounds and parked by their house. But some.... as this thread has shown... do not like campers in the neighborhood and most likely in 'their' campground. Our first 'hard body' camper was 20 years old when we got it. Looked like hell, but it was ours and kept my family of five safe and dry. I would never give up the memories and great times we had in our 'first' camper. Yes... it was parked by our house for many years. Did the neighbors 'complain'? Not once. Our neighbors are our friends and they are 'there' for us and we are 'there' for them. We have lived in the same house for 35 years and have never had a 'complaint' about 'a' camper.... sheezz.

The U.S. Code for crimes and criminal procedure prohibits the placement of unstamped flyers in any mailbox. Title 18, section 1725 states that any person who knowingly deposits "mail-able matter" without postage in an established letter box shall be subject to a fine.

The Government Accountability Office reports that fines may be as high as $5,000 per occurrence for individuals and $10,000 per occurrence for organizations.

This law is commonly known as the "mailbox restriction."

[D W]

Originally Posted by Brother Les

Does he know that your slide out is over your grass.....? The grass may die and you will have a dirt spot.... oh, the humanity...

I find that the vast majority of camping people/Families are great to be around in campgrounds and parked by their house. But some.... as this thread has shown... do not like campers in the neighborhood and most likely in 'their' campground. Our first 'hard body' camper was 20 years old when we got it. Looked like hell, but it was ours and kept my family of five safe and dry. I would never give up the memories and great times we had in our 'first' camper. Yes... it was parked by our house for many years. Did the neighbors 'complain'? Not once. Our neighbors are our friends and they are 'there' for us and we are 'there' for them. We have lived in the same house for 35 years and have never had a 'complaint' about 'a' camper.... sheezz.

Hats off to Brother Les!

[frank4711]

Originally Posted by Cruver

The U.S. Code for crimes and criminal procedure prohibits the placement of unstamped flyers in any mailbox. Title 18, section 1725 states that any person who knowingly deposits "mail-able matter" without postage in an established letter box shall be subject to a fine.

The Government Accountability Office reports that fines may be as high as $5,000 per occurrence for individuals and $10,000 per occurrence for organizations.

This law is commonly known as the "mailbox restriction."

Ah ... well ... wait what ???

[Ejs4029]

Originally Posted by D W

LOL! I guess you won'r be moving to Alaska anytime soon.

Nope your right...No desire to move to Alaska

[Ejs4029]

Originally Posted by babock

Depends on the city but that would be illegal where we live. Saying that, we have our trailer in front of our house but our house is very set back from the street. If there is a neighbor that complains hard enough, could be an issue.

At our vacation house in Lake Tahoe, you can't have any trailer in the driveway with our HOA laws. Since every house has a dock in the backyard it would look like crap with boat trailer in every driveway. I am actually glad!

As far as rolling away, I see zero issues with that. It's not that slanted a driveway.

Here is our trailer in our front yard. Of courser we have a gate and fencing across our front which also helps with zoning.

This is the house we sold in Southern CA and it was in an HOA but has long as you had the RV or boat behind the gate it was fine Although I like our current house in NC and we can park the RV there it is in an HOA if I had to do it all over again I would have bought some private property a few acres and had my new home built and prefer not to deal with an HOA