Why Can’t I Park my Camper or Boat on the Street?

Sioux Falls is home to a lot of campers and people who like to fish. But the city ordinance forbid campers or boats to be parked on the street or on a driveway in front of your home for more than 48 hours. And that’s only allowed if you are cleaning them.

Parking of recreational vehicles is allowed anywhere in the rear yard as long as the parking space and driveway are paved. Parking of any vehicle is not allowed in the required front or side yards. If your driveway is in the front yard, you may park a recreational vehicle for a period of no more than 48 hours for cleaning & unloading. Parking Issue FAQ’s – City of Sioux Falls website

Why does this ordinance exist? What’s the harm in parking a boat or RV on the street for a little while? I originally wasn’t a fan of these laws. But after living in my neighborhood for a while, I see things differently.

This ordinance exists because:

• Large vehicles can obstruct the vision of nearby drivers. Especially drivers backing out of a nearby driveway.
• They create dangerous pockets where a pedestrian may attempt to cross without being seen by passing drivers.
• High winds can easily cause large vehicles like this to topple or blow and cause injury or damage to a nearby home.
• Health concerns, as some vehicles may become home to rodents or other wild animals.

For all of these reasons, a boat or RV is just safer parked in a driveway next to or at the rear of a home, like the ordinance allows.