Des Plaines looks at RV parking rules

Owners of boats and RVs might have to park them someplace other than their Des Plaines driveways.

While it's currently against city law to park boats and RVs on unpaved areas, the city's building code committee on Friday will discuss whether to limit them on paved surfaces.

"People are upset when you live next to a person with a huge trailer in their driveway. I think that's something we should look at," 4th Ward Alderman Jean Higgason said.

The meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Friday in room 407 at city hall, 1420 Miner St.

Higgason, who chairs the building code committee, said she's anxious to hear what other towns do.

Elk Grove Village is among the area towns that limit recreational vehicles and boats. No vehicle longer than 25 feet, taller than 8 feet or wider than 9 feet is allowed in Elk Grove Village residential areas.

Mayor Tony Arredia said Wednesday he has heard complaints from people who think it's unsightly to have such large vehicles in residential neighborhoods. But Arredia, whose neighbor keeps a boat on his property, personally has no problem with it.

"As long as it's not one of those Mickey Mouse tugboats, I don't have a feeling about it," Arredia joked.

Friday's meeting also will cover other topics, including satellite dish installations. Des Plaines bars satellite dishes from the front of homes but city officials might have to tweak those rules since federal communications regulations apparently prevent such restrictions, officials said.