Palo Alto Moves to Ban Overnight RV Parking Near Homes From 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., With a Council Vote Set for Oct. 19

Palo Alto is moving to close a gap in its overnight RV parking rules, and the change could sail through without debate. An expanded ordinance on the City Council's Oct. 19 consent calendar would bar oversized vehicles from parking overnight on any street within 100 feet of a residential use, Palo Alto Online reported Sunday.

What changes

RVs are already barred from parking overnight in most residential zones. The new language reaches streets that sit outside residential zoning but next to homes, including planned home zoning (PHZ) areas and mixed-use developments. The hours also grow: the restriction now runs 2 to 6 a.m., and the ordinance would stretch it to 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., which city staff said would make enforcement easier.

Rather than posting signs on every residential street, the city plans to spend about $140,000 on signs at roughly 50 entrances to Palo Alto. Staff wrote that this approach is easier on the budget and on city workers.

Why it is moving fast

Because the item is on the consent calendar, it is expected to be approved in a single vote with other routine items, with no separate discussion unless a council member pulls it. The proposal grew out of council direction in August, when the city approved a permit pilot for RV parking on parts of Embarcadero Road and Coyote Hill Road.

That August meeting also floated an "alternative sides" plan that would have let RVs stay on designated streets for six months before switching sides. Palo Alto Online reported the idea fizzled after community pushback, and Councilmember Ed Lauing, who sits on the oversized vehicle committee, raised the possibility of a citywide ban.

An election-season issue

RVs have become one of the hottest topics in the Nov. 3 council race. The Palo Alto Daily Post reported that about 150 people live in RVs on city streets. Planning Commissioner Bryna Chang has called for a citywide 2 to 5 a.m. ban, while Mayor Vicki Veenker said a full ban is premature because some vehicle dwellers could end up in parks or garages, and urged big employers like Stanford and Google to provide parking for workers who live in RVs.

The city already runs a shelter at 1237 San Antonio Road and offers RV parking at 2000 Geng Road. The council meets Oct. 19.