[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of
the Town of Coventry 8-16-1999 by Ord. No. 1-99-0215 (Ch. 8, Art. IX,
of the 1991 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Zoning — See Ch. 255.
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:
Includes any of the following:
TRAVEL TRAILERA vehicular, portable structure built on a chassis, designed to be used as a temporary dwelling for travel, recreation and vacation uses.
PICK-UP COACHA structure designed to be mounted on a truck chassis for use as a temporary dwelling for travel, recreation and vacation.
MOTOR HOMEA portable, temporary dwelling to be used for travel, recreation and vacation, constructed as an integral part of a self-propelled vehicle.
CAMPING TRAILERA canvas, folding structure, mounted on wheels and designed for travel, recreation and vacation use.
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.
[1]
Editor's Note: The vote taken on this ordinance
on 9-24-2007 was nullified 1-28-2008 by Res. No. 4-08-2857 due to
a technical error in its adoption. The ordinance was then revoted
and duly adopted 1-28-2008.
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.
(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.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any
new recreational trailer park or campground within the limits of the
Town unless the following permits have been obtained:
(1)
Approval of a land development project;
(2)
A license from the State Health Department in accordance
with R.I.G.L. Title 23, Chapter 21, as amended;
(3)
A building permit from the Building Inspector;
(4)
An annual permit granted by the Town Council; and
(5)
A letter from the appropriate district fire chief
approving implementation of necessary firesafety measures.
B.
All applications for permits listed in Subsection A above shall contain the following information in addition to the submission requirements in Article 14 of the Zoning Ordinance, entitled "Land Development Projects":
(1)
Name and address of owner;
(2)
Name and address of applicant;
(3)
Name of corporation and all officers;
(4)
Location and legal description of the recreational
trailer park or campground; and
(5)
Complete engineering plans and specifications of the
proposed park or campground showing:
(a)
The area and dimensions of the tract of land;
(b)
The number, location and size of all recreational
trailer or campground spaces;
(c)
The location and width of streets and walkways;
(d)
The location of service buildings, sanitary
stations and any other proposed structures;
(e)
The location and area of required recreation
areas;
(f)
The location of water and sewer lines and riser
pipes;
(g)
Plans and specifications of the water supply,
refuse and sewage disposal facilities;
(h)
Plans and specifications of all buildings constructed
or to be constructed within the recreational trailer park or campground;
(i)
The location and details of lighting and electrical
systems;
(j)
Location of underground storage tanks; and
(k)
Evidence of compliance with all appropriate
state laws and regulations, particularly those dealing with licensing
of recreational trailer camps, heating fuel tanks, sanitation, sewage
disposal and water supply.
A.
The following delineates the standards that shall
be met in developing a new or expanded recreational trailer park or
campground:
(1)
Minimum area: 40 acres.
(2)
Density: no greater than 25 recreational trailer spaces
per acre.
(3)
Maximum units: 200 recreational trailer spaces or
campsites. The maximum number of units may be increased if it is determined
by the Town Council, in its respective review, that the modification
is reasonable and within the general purposes and intent of the goals
and regulations; that the modification of the maximum number of units
is in the best interest of good planning practice; and that the particular
conditions pertaining to the land under proposal is suitable for increased
camp sites.
(4)
Area of each individual recreational trailer or campground
space: 1,500 square feet minimum.
(5)
Frontage on a public street: as required for that
zoning district.
B.
Required separation between recreational trailers
and campsites. Recreational trailers or campground sites shall be
separated from each other by at least 30 feet which may be adjusted
to reflect various settings within the campground (i.e., waterfront,
wooded or field sites), provided that the width of the site is not
less than 30 feet on the access road.
C.
Required recreation area. In all recreational trailer
parks and campgrounds there shall be recreation areas which shall
be easily accessible from all units. The size of such recreation area
shall be not less than 25% of the area of such park, usable for picnic
areas, boat launches, beaches, recreation fields and the like, and
not exclusively undevelopable wetland areas.
D.
No permanent structures shall be constructed or erected
onto a recreational trailer, including, but not limited to, breezeways,
covered decks and porches except prefabricated screen tents or screened
areas that are collapsed at the end of the season and do not require
the issuance of a building permit.
E.
Buffer from adjacent properties. A landscaped buffer
strip shall be maintained along all exterior property lines of a recreational
trailer park or campground. Such buffer strip shall be no less than
100 feet wide and shall be planted, screened or otherwise maintained
in a natural condition in order to provide year-round visual obstruction
of the recreational trailer spaces or campsites from abutting land
and streets.
F.
Internal street system. All recreational trailer parks
and campgrounds shall be provided with safe and convenient vehicular
access from abutting public streets. Each recreational trailer and
campsite space shall have direct access to an interior street. Alignment
and gradient shall be properly adapted to topography. Surfacing and
maintenance shall provide a smooth, hard and dense surface which shall
be well drained.
G.
Access. Access to recreational trailer parks and campgrounds
shall be designed to minimize congestion and hazards at their entrance
or exit and allow free movement of traffic on adjacent streets. All
traffic into or out of such parks shall be through such designated
entrances and exits only.
H.
Off-street parking and maneuvering space. Each recreational
trailer park and campground shall provide sufficient parking and maneuvering
space so that the parking, loading or maneuvering of recreational
trailers shall not necessitate the use of any public street, sidewalk
or right-of-way or land not part of the recreational trailer park
or campground.
I.
Water supply and sewage disposal. All requirements
regarding supply of water and disposal of sewage in recreational trailer
parks and campgrounds shall conform to all applicable laws and requirements
of the State of Rhode Island, Department of Health and Department
of Environmental Management.
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.
