You Can Park an RV in West Richland, But There’s a Catch

I've often thought about selling the house and living in an RV in a friend's yard in the Tri-Cities, but I think you'll be surprised that doing that isn't as easy as you think it is.

West Richland Clarifies Rules on RV Parking and Living Quarters

My son lives in our converted garage, but luckily it's been part of our house for many years and no longer has a garage door, so you wouldn't know it was a garage until you go inside.

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West Richland RV Rules: Where You Can Park and How Long You Can Stay

In West Richland, living in an RV on your own property also comes with some challenges.

In a recent posting from the West Richland Code Compliance Officer, living in your RV is prohibited, even on your own property, unless you have a specific, time-limited temporary permit.

That's something I had no idea about.

You can call (509)-967-3431 to get more details on the permit.

white and brown rv trailer — Photo by Connor Olson on Unsplash

Here are more details from the posting:

No Living Quarters on Private Property: While homeowners are generally allowed to park a single RV or trailer in an accessory garage or in their yard, the code states that no living quarters shall be maintained while the vehicle is parked there.

Furthermore, you are not permitted to hook up utilities (such as water, electricity, or sewer) to the RV while it is parked on a residential lot.

Strict Public Street Parking Limits: You cannot use an RV as a dwelling on city streets. According to West Richland Code Enforcement, RVs are restricted to parking on public rights-of-way for a maximum of 36 hours within 7 days, typically meant only for active loading and unloading.

So if you thought that living in your RV in West Richland might be a solution to a housing issue, you might want to rethink that and reach out to the CCO in West Richland for more information.

Of course, these rules don't apply to RV Parks.