Mike Salazar thought he had done everything right. After buying a 32-foot travel trailer in 2024, the Galt, California, resident parked it in his driveway, behind his fence, where he assumed it was nobody’s business. Then a code enforcement officer knocked on his door, citing a nearly 30-year-old city ordinance that restricts where recreational vehicles can sit on residential lots. Salazar was told he could face penalties of $150 a month if the trailer stayed put.
He is far from alone. From small-town Texas to the suburbs of Los Angeles, a growing number of cities and counties are tightening rules on where RVs, travel trailers, and motorhomes can be stored, even on private property. The restrictions are catching thousands of owners off guard and fueling a political fight over who gets to decide what belongs in an American driveway.
Denison and Jackson set the tone: your yard, their rules
In Denison, Texas, city officials adopted an ordinance imposing a $150 fine on residents who park trailers or RVs on the street or in their front yards. The rule targets what the city describes as long-term curbside and lawn storage rather than short-term loading. For a community where wide lots and long driveways are part of the draw, the ordinance has frustrated homeowners who say they bought property specifically to accommodate large vehicles.
Denison’s rule reflects a broader pattern. According to the RV Industry Association (RVIA), more than 11.2 million households in the United States own an RV as of 2024, a figure that has climbed steadily over the past decade. As ownership has grown, so have complaints from neighbors about blocked sightlines, crowded curbs, and rigs that sit for weeks without moving. Municipalities have responded with setback requirements, screening mandates, and outright bans on front-yard storage…