Callaway residents to receive fines for RV and motor homes

Nov. 21--CALLAWAY -- The deadline for occupying recreational vehicles and motor homes for Callaway residents is Wednesday.

Still, residents can get extensions if they meet certain criteria.

Since Hurricane Michael hit more than a year ago, some residents have been forced to live in campers for a number of reasons, including because they're battling insurance providers to get enough money for home repairs. For others, it has taken longer than expected to fix their homes to get back to normal.

The city of Callaway granted free year-long permits after the hurricane to residents who needed to live in campers and motor homes.

A citation for not complying could result in a fine of up to $500 a day. Residents are safe from citations if their motor homes are stored in their backyard, 5 feet away from any property line and is screened from view by a buffer not to exceed 7 feet in height.

Residents can also apply for extensions past the deadline.

"We have a one page application to fill out and we'll grant a six-month extension," said Callaway City Manager Eddie Cook. "Out of everybody we've had, only one wasn't granted an extension because they weren't working on the property or living there."

Callaway wants to get a handle on residents who are living in these motor homes and aren't making progress on their damaged homes.

"We just want to know if there is progress being made," Cook said. "Our code enforcement officers will go out and check to see where you are in the process."

A few of the residents who received recent notices about the deadline had conflicting emotions about the possible fine of the motor homes. The residents said they feel like there are other things that need to be focused on.

"I think it's more of an eyesore to look at a home that is damaged and has blue tarp on the roof," said Debbie Peterson of Callaway. "If people are having trouble financially, what do you do?"

The city of Callaway does have a plan in place to fix up other properties in the city, but are trying to follow a process.

According to Cook, Callaway has been held back a little bit by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Callaway has been trying to get approvals for FEMA's private property debris removal and commercial property debris removal programs to help residents with cleanup costs.

"How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time," Cook said. "We're starting to get a handle on things, so we can get back to normal."

Applications for permit extensions can be filled out at the Callaway office. It is located behind Callaway City Hall at 6601 E. Hwy 22.

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