The City of Palm Bay (Growth Management Department) has submitted for a textual amendment to the Code of Ordinances, Title VII, Traffic and Vehicles, Chapter 70: General Provisions, Section 70.04; Title IX, General Regulations, Chapter 93: Real Property Nuisances, Section 93.044; Title XVII, Land Development Code, Chapter 185: Zoning Code, Section 185.006 and Section 185.123. At the direction of City Council, this amendment was drafted to update provisions for the parking of vehicles in residential areas and to revise definitions within the applicable sections of the referenced codes.

Changes as originally proposed included:  1) relocating all of the parking requirements from Sec. 93.044 to Sec. 185.123, 2) redefining Commercial Vehicles to use the Federal Highway Administration vehicle classes, 3) redefining Recreational Vehicles to those registered as Recreational vehicles with the Dept. of Motor Vehicles, 4) defining what is considered an improved surface, 5) creating exemptions for Farm equipment in RR & GU zones, 6) changing the rule on parking of RVs to be behind the front face of the residence rather than the building setbacks, 7) now prohibiting parking of vehicles on unimproved land as parking must be an accessory use, 8) removing the City’s ‘right to enter’ property to inspect violations.

On June 11, 2020, City Council held a workshop to discuss the amendment. The staff report has since been revised to incorporate the results of the workshop.  Changes made as a result of the workshop include: allowing all vehicles, not just RVs, to park on the sides of residences without the requirement for an improved surface, exemptions for farm equipment can also be allowed if the owner signs a notarized affidavit that the equipment is for personal use, and the allowance for one unlicensed or inoperable vehicle was revised to no longer require that such vehicle be parked in the rear yard behind a six-foot opaque fence.