WAUPUN — The Waupun Common Council discussed potential changes to city ordinances on recreational vehicles at the Special Common Council meeting Tuesday, August 26.
This comes after two residents addressed the City Council at the August 12 meeting, expressing concerns about how the ordinance is too restrictive for many residential properties. The Waupun Plan Commission discussed the concerns at the August 20 meeting, but the Plan Commission unanimously voted to maintain the ordinance as currently adopted.
Relevant provisions in Chapters 6 and 16 of the City Code were included in the agenda packet. Chapter 6.05 relates to Parking Restrictions, while 16.01 relates to Zoning Code and 16.02 for definitions of recreational vehicles.
Mayor Rohn Bishop introduced the topic to the City Council, requesting input on the matter.
Alderman Mike Matoushek suggested a change to the trailer definition, either increasing the maximum length of a trailer from 36ft to 46ft, or eliminating the length restrictions on travel trailers entirely. Wisconsin State Statute allows camper trailers in Wisconsin to be up to 46ft, so this would be in line with statewide restrictions.
Police Chief Jeremy Rasch added that the State Statute also limits recreational vehicle width at 8’6” and height at 13’6”.
On the parking restrictions, Alderman Pete Kaczmarski said it disproportionately impacted residents of his district as they are mostly older homes with only single-width driveways—which he pointed out as a concern when a related ordinance prohibiting parking vehicles and trailers on grass was adopted at the meeting July 25, 2023.
He said has spoken with several residents who felt the ordinance was overly burdensome.
Kaczmarski was the only person to vote against the ordinance when it was originally brought to Council.
Alderman Ryan Meilke asked if the ordinance was only about street parking, which it was. Mayor Bishop explained it is only allowed for 48 hours because the City just doesn’t want the trailers to be beached in one location for extended periods of time.
“One of the reasons the Plan Commission pushed so hard against changing the ordinance last week was that many people in the City added on to their driveway to have a place to park things,” Mayor Bishop saod. “And the other is all these things would end up in the street, and we already have a lot of streets that are too narrow and we get complaints that we shouldn’t have parking on one side or the other.”
Alderman Jason Westphal asked about the definition for UTVs and ATVs in the ordinance, and whether they would be classified as recreational vehicles under 16.02(36m)(h). Alderman Dan Siebers said that the exact reading of the draft seemed to indicate it was referring to utility trailers which could be used to transport ATVs, boats, or snowmobiles—and not ATVs themselves.
City Attorney Dan Vande Zande asked if there was a motion to draft up the length and width changes, clarifying they would need to draft the new ordinance and present the changes to the Council for review.
City Administrator Kathy Schlieve said it would need to go back to the Plan Commission, and that they may need a public hearing to make those changes. Matoushek asked about the role the Plan Commission has in the process, which Vande Zande said was advisory.
Alderman Matoushek made a motion to change the ordinance on recreational vehicle dimensions to match State Statutes.
Motion to amend the ordinance passed 4-1, Kaczmarski dissenting.
Plan Commission will review changes before coming back to Council.
At the previous Common Council meeting on August 12, the City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting parking on the intersection of W. Jefferson St. and S. Division St. This T intersection on a narrow one-way road has made for some difficult turns from Division onto Jefferson with complaints to the City from residents. Alderman Kaczmarski was the only dissenting vote, while Alderman Matoushek had been absent from that meeting.
On his vote, Alderman Kaczmarski cited a lack of communication with the homeowners that the City was getting complaints and that they may be suddenly restricted from parking.
