It is the purpose of this chapter to provide
areas which are properly located and designed to accommodate the leisure
time and vacation activities of seasonal campground residents utilizing
tents, recreational trailers and similar vehicles intended for short-term
residential occupancy. It is further intended to safeguard the health
and safety of residents of seasonal trailer parks and their neighbors,
to ensure compatibility with the natural environment and to ensure
harmony with the character of the surrounding area.
It shall be unlawful for any person, corporation or entity to operate any campground within the limits of the Town of Coventry without first having obtained a permit, renewed annually by the Town Council, pursuant to §§
113-6A or
113-7A of this chapter, as applicable. Existing nonprofit charitable organizations shall be exempt from the licensing provision of this chapter; however, standards of this chapter shall apply as determined to protect the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the campground and surrounding community and to maintain the intent of this chapter.
[Amended 3-23-2009 by Ord. No. 03-09-273]
An application fee as set forth in Chapter
122, Fees, shall be collected for the administration of the application. Such license shall expire on December 31 of each year.
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
RECREATIONAL TRAILER
Includes any of the following:
A.
TRAVEL TRAILERA vehicular, portable structure built on a chassis, designed to be used as a temporary dwelling for travel, recreation and vacation uses.
B.
PICK-UP COACHA structure designed to be mounted on a truck chassis for use as a temporary dwelling for travel, recreation and vacation.
C.
MOTOR HOMEA portable, temporary dwelling to be used for travel, recreation and vacation, constructed as an integral part of a self-propelled vehicle.
D.
CAMPING TRAILERA canvas, folding structure, mounted on wheels and designed for travel, recreation and vacation use.
[Amended 9-24-2007 by Ord. No. 05-07-257; 11-23-2015 by Ord.
No. 07-15-305]
A. No year-round residence shall be permitted in recreational trailer
parks and/or campgrounds, except in the case of caretakers for the
property, and except as provided hereafter. Recreational trailer parks
and campgrounds shall only operate from April 15 to October 31. Year-round
recreational camping may be permitted in recreational trailer parks
and campgrounds at no greater than 20% of capacity if, in the discretion
of the Town Council, such year-round camping will have no adverse
effect upon the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the
campground and surrounding community and will be otherwise consistent
with the intent of this chapter.
B. Campgrounds shall not maintain any nuisances to the public health,
safety or welfare of the residents of the campground or surrounding
community relative to garbage and refuse, excessive noise, stagnant
water holes, lighting or other conditions contrary to the intent of
this chapter or other Town codes.
C. No building activity shall take place in the campground unless a
building permit has been obtained from the Building Inspection Department
of the Town of Coventry.
D. The owner or operator of the recreational trailer park or campground
shall apply for a permit no later than 60 days prior to the expiration
of the current permit, except for good cause shown to the Clerk.
Commercial campgrounds provide a valuable recreational,
economic and open space resource to the Town of Coventry as recognized
in the Recreation, Conservation and Open Space Element of the Coventry
Comprehensive Plan. It is not the intent of this section to prohibit
such existing facilities for failure to meet the standards for new
facilities but to encourage and to promote quality recreational accommodations
by ensuring that all existing facilities apply for and receive a permit
from the Town Council, renewed annually; that the health, safety and
welfare of the seasonal residents is protected; that year-round residency
is prohibited in the campground except as set forth in this chapter;
that permanent additions or structures to the recreational camper
for additional living space, except as set forth in this chapter,
is prohibited; and that the number of camp sites in existence for
each campground be determined.
A. Application procedure for existing uses and facilities.
(1) Applications for existing facilities, available from
the Town Clerk, shall be accompanied with the following documentation:
(a)
A license from the State Health Department in
accordance with R.I.G.L. Title 23, Chapter 21, as amended.
(b)
A letter from the district fire chief stating
that outdoor fire prevention measures and policies of the campground
are adequate.
(c)
A letter of compliance from the Health Department
regarding the status of the drinking water supply.
(d)
An attached map or plan of campground layout
exhibiting:
[4]
Wooded buffer areas between campground and property
lines;
[5]
Location of service buildings; and
[6]
Sewage disposal facilities or methods.
(2) Existing recreational trailer parks and campgrounds
shall submit the recreational trailer park and campground application,
available in the Town Clerk's office, 120 days after the passage of
this chapter. Any facility owner or operator who fails to do so shall
be fined in accordance with the provisions within the Code of the
Town of Coventry.
B. Procedure for the expansion of existing facilities.
(1) Proposed increase in the number of camp sites. Any
proposed increase in the number of campsites will require the issuance
of a special use permit from the Zoning Board of Review in accordance
with Article 4, Section 470, of the Coventry Zoning Ordinance.
(2) Proposed construction or expansion of ancillary or
accessory uses, including but not limited to pool facilities, recreational
buildings, camp store for convenience goods available to residents
to the campground only, boat and bike rentals, clearing and construction
for play or ballfields, shall require the issuance of a special use
permit from the Zoning Board of Review in accordance with Article
4, Section 470, of the Coventry Zoning Ordinance.
Any facility owner or operator who fails to adhere to the requirements of this chapter shall be subject to fines as set forth in Chapter
1, General Provisions, §
1-2, of the Code of the Town of Coventry.
The Town Council shall have the authority to
waive or modify one or more of the requirements of this chapter if
the Council finds that:
A. The waiver or modification is reasonable and within
the general purposes and intents of these regulations; and
B. Literal enforcement of the regulations are impracticable
and will exact undue hardship because of peculiar conditions pertaining
to the land in question; or waiver or modification of the regulations
is in the best interest of good planning practice or design as evidenced
by consistency with the Coventry Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance.