Nixon City Council unhooks old RV ordinance

The man that was hired to clean up the city of Nixon was making good on his promise to do so at Tuesday’s regular scheduled city council meeting.

City Manager Manuel Zepeda set out to amend the city ordinance concerning recreational vehicles. Currently an RV can be hooked up to any residence for six months before it has to be unhooked. He said that there was no way to track the exact date of hook up by residents and that some had been continually operating for eight months, which has been the length of his employment with the city.

Zepeda said that he had consulted the ordinances in neighboring cities regarding RVs and reported that most do not allow them to be connected in residential areas, only in designated RV parks.

His main opposition was that residents that flout the laws are cheating law-abiding citizens and called the instances a blight on the city. In addition, he described some residences having four or five RVs connected to a single mobile home, which is a major fire hazard.

Zepeda said that the ordinance would be a tool that he needs to clean up the city one more notch.

Councilman Doug Koenig expressed some concern if a homeowner, like himself, could continue to hook up an RV at their residence for a couple of days prior to taking the vehicle on a trip. He felt that it would infringe on the property rights of owners. Zepeda explained that the ordinance would only apply to occupancy of an RV.

“If you want to live in an RV, put it in an RV park,” Zepeda said.

Mayor Hector Dominguez set to clarify Koenig’s concern by saying that if you have an RV, you are allowed to keep it on your property— you just cannot live in it. He said that some people in the city had been living in RVs for years and that it can become a nuisance.

It was further explained that Zepeda would work with RV owners so that no one is thrown out into the cold. Also, those still operating within the current six-month hook-up window would be allowed to continue to do so until their time has expired.

Mayor Dominguez recommended the council act on the ordinance that night. The ordinance was approved on a motion by Councilwoman Dorothy Riojas and seconded by Koenig.

The council also listened to the monthly fire chief’s report in which assistance was requested in the improvement of the department’s barbecue area. Roof repairs to be completed and a cement slab will be poured in another area in which another barbecue pit could be added. It would give the station a nicer appearance, he said.

Zepeda remarked that it would be a nice community area after the improvements. The council agreed to go in half with the department on the repairs, with grant monies being an option.

In public comment, Donald Hoffman asked the council for assistance in a beautification project for a historical marker in town. The $1,500 marker was purchased by Hoffman and his family and he put forth some ideas on landscaping for its location.

Hoffman wondered if the city might be interested in placing a rock garden around the marker to draw people to the site. He said that other communities have done such and it brings an added value to the presentation.

Zepeda remarked that he had researched the area surrounding the marker and noted that the property belongs to the city, requiring no action from TxDOT. It would be possible for the city to come up with a couple of plans and a dollar amount. Mayor Dominguez recommended putting it on the agenda for the January meeting and deciding the outcome then.

It was also announced that the Nixon Chamber of Commerce is hosting a holiday drawing this Saturday with many items donated from local merchants. The event starts at 5 p.m. and Santa will be available for photographs.