Property owners to cast ballots on RV issue in Crested Butte South

Little RVs probably okay this summer

Crested Butte South property owners will have the opportunity to vote on whether to change their covenants regulating trailers and recreational vehicles in the subdivision. The proposed rule change would essentially allow small RVs to be parked in the subdivision with certain restrictions. Currently, all such vehicles are prohibited.

About two-dozen residents attended a property owner’s association (POA) meeting last week to discuss what has become a heated issue. Results of a recent survey of property owners were released at the meeting, indicating that approximately 62 percent of the 418 properties that participated in the survey wanted to hold an election on changing covenant 7.01. Ballots with the proposed language change will accompany a ballot for the board of directors election this summer. Three of the five seats on the board are up for election.
The ballots will be mailed to all Crested Butte South property owners between June 25 and July 9. They will actually have until December 31 to cast a vote on that issue. “The sooner the better,” said Crested Butte South property association manager Chris Behan.
Behan said the board has instructed him to take a light touch toward enforcement until the vote on the covenants change is finalized. He explained that enforcement this summer will focus on three issues: the length of the trailers, which can be no longer than 24 feet; where the RV is parked, since it must be in an approved parking spot like a driveway and not the lawn; and whether or not the RV is being used on-site as a place to sleep. If any of these three issues are being violated, Behan will enforce the regulation.
“It is a little confusing but the board said we would enforce the covenant in accordance with the proposed language change so things like pop-ups and fifth wheels are probably fine this summer,” he said, “as long as it is shorter than 24 feet and parked in an appropriate spot. And no one can be using any RV to sleep in. Other than that, an RV can’t be kept on someone’s property for more than one overnight period.”
The covenant changes would allow one trailer or RV per property. According to the proposed ballot language, “trailers/vehicles capable of habitation include: RVs, pop-ups, truck campers, slide-in truck campers, camper-trailers, camper vans, pull-behind campers, 5th wheels, toy-haulers, camper buses, motor homes, or any other vehicle or trailer containing living quarters. The vehicles must be parked at least ten feet from all property lines, be licensed and registered, but cannot have people sleeping in them, have maintenance performed on them, or be parked on an unimproved lot of any kind (commercial or residential).”
A paper ballot will be sent out to owners of all 934 parcels in Crested Butte South. Each property owner gets one vote no matter how many parcels he or she owns. Ballots can be mailed, faxed or dropped off at the POA office.