Alec Schaffer
The Laramie City Council moved to postpone voting on an ordinance that could force some local residents out on the street.
“I live with a wife and four kids in an RV,” Arron Lynyrd, Laramie resident, said during the meeting. “I will have to leave.”
The original ordinance has been in effect since the mid-90s and restricts the amount of time a recreational vehicle can stay in a mobile home park to 180 days; however, it has not been enforced.
The original motion, brought forth by Councilor Vicki Henry, would continue the existing 180-day limitation on recreational vehicles.
If the existing city ordinance were to be enforced some students, residents and families could be forced to find new housing during the winter months.
“I am not for putting people in jeopardy, these people some of them are gonna be thrown out on the street,” Councilor Joe Vitale said.
Vitale made a motion to postpone the vote, but it did not receive a second and failed to pass. After additional discussion among council members and city staff, Councilor Klaus Hanson asked the council to postpone the vote to provide city staff with adequate time to review the ordinance and create a more agreeable option for all parties involved.
“The problem is there are gonna be people forced out. What can we do to alleviate the problem?” Councilor Paul Weaver said. “My concern then is still for the people here who fear they will be displaced.”
City Attorney Jason Loos assured Weaver that at this time no enforcement of the law is being carried out.
“If this law had been enforced, this would have been brought up a lot sooner,” Craig Tangy, Laramie resident, said. “It’s a real thing for them.”
The ordinance will be re-examined in three months time during the first regular council meeting of March.
The three month postponement will allow the ordinance to be re-examined outside of the winter months in addition to giving the city staff adequate time to look through the ordinance, City Director Randy Hunt said.
