City Council Memorandum
CITY OF
RIVERSIDE
......
City of Arts & Innovation
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY DATE: AUGUST 19, 2025
COUNCIL
FROM: CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: ORDINANCE AMENDING RIVERSIDE MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 9.08.165, "PARKING OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES IN CITY PARKS"
ISSUE:
To ensure that individuals and families are able to enjoy the use of their recreational vehicles at City Park's during operational/daylight hours, while still preventing said recreational vehicles from being parked at City Parks overnight, it is necessary to amend Section 9.08.165.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
1. Receive this report summarizing the proposed amendment to Riverside Municipal Code Section 9.08.165, "Parking of recreational vehicles in City parks"; and
2. Recommend that the City Council introduce and subsequently adopt the proposed ordinance amending Riverside Municipal Code Section 9.08.165, "Parking of recreational vehicles in City parks."
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
On June 18, 2025, the proposed ordinance was presented to the Safety, Wellness, and Youth Committee, which unanimously approved the recommendations set forth above.
BACKGROUND:
Riverside Municipal Code ("RMC") Section 10.04.132 defines a "recreational vehicle" as "any house car, motor home, travel trailer, trailer coach, camp trailer, boat, or boat trailer, water craft, or similar self-propelled or non-self-propelled vehicle or device." "Recreational vehicles" are commonly referred to as "RVs."
Currently under RMC Section 9.08.165, no individual, group, or entity is allowed to park a recreational vehicle within any park or recreation area owned or controlled by the City of Riverside.
Under Section 9.08:165, the only way a recreational vehicle can park within a City Park at any time of the day is either (1) obtaining a permit from the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director pursuant to the permit process laid out in RMC Section 9.08.120, or (2) otherwise obtaining some form of permission from the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director.
Peace, Safety and Morals-Use of Public Parks-Parking of Recreational Vehicles in City Parks • Page 2 Additionally, RMC Section 9.08.110(A) states, "all parks owned by the City of Riverside or to be hereafter owned by the City of Riverside, shall be closed from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. for developed parks, and closed from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise for undeveloped parks..."
For context purposes, RMC Section 9.08.110(A)(1) defines a "developed park" as "park acreage that has been improved with typical park amenities such as turf, trees, irrigation, children's play equipment, and picnic areas." RMC Section 9.08.110(A)(2) defines an "undeveloped park" as "park acreage established for the protection and stewardship of wildlife, habitat, and other natural systems support functions with minimal infrastructure which may include trails, signage, staging areas, parking, restrooms, picnic tables, and other support facilities." DISCUSSION:
Under RMC Section 9.08.165: as it currently stands, no recreational vehicles are allowed to park at City Parks unless they obtain an approved permit or obtain specific permission trom the City.
While recreational vehicles should not be allowed to stay overnight at City Parks when said parks are closed and non-operational, individuals and families should be allowed to make use of their recreational vehicles in order to enhance their sense of enjoyment, community, and recreation during a City Park's operational hours.
An amendment to RMC Section 9.08.165 is necessary in order to allow individuals and families the ability to make use of and enjoy their recreational vehicles at City Parks during the day, while still preventing the parking of said recreational vehicles overnight at City Parks.
The proposed amendment to RMC Section 9.08.165 would remove all language regarding obtaining a permit or permission, and would instead say the following: "No person, group or entity shall park a recreational vehicle as detined in Section 10.04.132 within a park or recreation area owned or controlled by the City during said park or recreation area's non-operational hours as set forth in Section 9.08.110(A)." This refers to the operational hours for developed and undeveloped parks as they are defined in Section 9.08.110(A).
In practice, the proposed amendment would allow individuals and families the opportunity to park their recreational vehicles at City Parks during operational hours in order to enhance their time spent outdoors and in community with one another. At the same time, the proposed amendment would also make it unlawful to park a recreational vehicle at a City Park from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. at a "developed park," or from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise at "undeveloped parks.
The proposed amendment would also not prevent law enforcement from enforcing against improperly parked recreational vehicles during a City Park's operational hours. For example, RMC Section 10.60.060 states that "in any municipal parking facility or City-owned or controlled parking facility, it is unlawful to park or leave standing any vehicle in any driveway, aisle, walk, or area other than in a designated parking space...no person shall park a vehicle in any such designated parking space so that any part of such vehicle occupies more than one such space or protrudes beyond the markings designating such space."
Since RMC Section 10.60.010(A) defines a "municipal parking facility" as any "lot, garage or parcel of land owned, purchased or leased by the City, or in which the City has the possessory right or interest, and which is designated as a municipal parking lot or garage for the off-street parking of vehicles," it is evident this includes off-street parking lots at City Parks.
Thus, under the proposed amendment, individuals and families would be allowed to park recreational vehicles within City Parks during operational/daylight hours. However, if those Peace, Safety and Morals-Use of Public Parks-Parking of Recreational Vehicles in City Parks • Page 3 recreational vehicles are parked improperly and/or taking up multiple parking spaces, then law enforcement is still able to enforce the law against those violations.
In speaking with the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, they indicated that if the proposed ordinance was adopted, their department could repaint a few of the single-vehicle parking spaces within parks around the City to allow longer recreational vehicles to park in said parking spaces without taking up multiple spots.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
The activity within the staff report aligns with Strategic Priority 2 - Community Well-Being, Goal 2.4 to support programs and innovations that enhance community safety, encourage neighborhood engagement, and build public trust.
This item aligns with each of the five Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
1. Community Trust - This ordinance is being proposed to the City Council so that individuals and families can enjoy the use of their recreational vehicles at City Parks during the day. At the same time, it protects the community by preventing overnight recreational vehicle parking in City Parks.
2. Equity - The proposed ordinance will help to ensure that individuals and families are allowed to park their recreational vehicles at City Parks during operational hours, while still allowing law enforcement the ability to enforce against parking violations. Parking space repainting could also be completed to allow parking of longer recreational vehicles.
3. Fiscal Responsibility - No additional funding is required due to the proposed ordinance.
4. Innovation - The City continually analyzes timely and reliable information in order to develop informed polices and implement new programs in order to meet the community's changing needs.
5. Sustainability & Resiliency - The proposed ordinance will enhance the City's preparedness for the future.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
Concurs with:
Jim Perry, Chair
Safety, Wellness, and Youth Committee
Prepared by: Jacob Castrejon, Deputy City Attorney
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
1. Exhibit "A" - Proposed Ordinance and Municipal Code Section 9.08.165
2. Presentation