Calgary won't change how long RVs can be parked on front driveways, for now

In Calgary, RVs can only be parked on the front driveway of a residential property for maximum of 36 consecutive hours.

Calgarians won't see any changes to the rules for parking RVs on residential driveways any time soon. 

Under the current bylaw, recreational vehicles cannot exceed more than 36 consecutive hours parked on a front hard-surface driveway or parking stall.

The time is meant to allow owners to do things like clean, load and unload their vehicles.

However, as Calgary sees an increase in RV ownership, city officials have identified that that 36-hour parking time limit can be "challenging and restrictive."

As such, in June 2022, Calgary city council asked administration to review the existing regulations, including the definition of "RV," and report back.

The report compiled by administration, which included feedback from Calgarians, was heard by council on Wednesday.

It proposed amendments to the bylaw that would allow Calgarians to park RVs on residential front driveways from May 1 to Oct. 31, and allow out-of-city RVs to be parked on city streets for up to 36 hours.

After reviewing the report, councillors voted in favour of sending the matter back to administration for more investigation, with an update expected by the first quarter of 2024.

City officials tell CTV News that no tickets were issued in 2022 for RVs parked on front driveways.

However, the city did receive 114 calls for service for RVs parked on front driveways Jan-Dec 2022, and have "gained compliance" through "letters and warnings."

The bylaw councillors are discussing does not limit the time for side or rear RV parking in residential areas.

'KILL IT NOW': MCLEAN

Ward 13 Coun. Dan McLean was one of the few who voted not to send the report back to administrators. 

"I agreed with Coun. (Sonya) Sharp and some other colleagues that we should just kill it now, be done with it," he said, speaking to CTV News.

"I don't think it would have gone over well with residents.”

McLean said the report had a "whole bunch of rules and conditions," including where on your driveway an RV could be parked, how far away it would have to be from the curb and how specific sightlines couldn't be restricted.

"The reason I was opposed to it now (was) because it just changed a whole bunch more rules. We don't have the resources or the money to implement this, so I just didn't see it as being worth the effort."

McLean said he was also concerned the changes would lead to situations where people were potentially living in RVs parked on front driveways, or renting them out as an Airbnb.

"What (the committee has) done is referred back to administration to come back in Q1 2024," he said.

"They'll come back with more recommendations."