RV Parking Issues in Laughlin, NV see A Favorable Resolution

We are very happy to report that the RV dry-camping issues in Laughlin, NV, and surrounding areas have been resolved favorably for RVers.

Escapees Consumer Affairs Director Mark Nemeth attended the meeting of the Southern Nevada Health District Board of Directors on July 27, along with representatives from the state Department of Tourism and the Laughlin Tourism Committee. We were there to convince the health department board to clarify the new regulations and address the issue of overnight parking for safety and convenience. Mark spoke primarily against wording in the proposed regulations that could potentially affect RVers��� ability to make overnight stops in public parking lots where it is generally allowed, and emphasized that a negative reputation in the RV community could hurt the State of Nevada. The tourism representatives made sure that the board was aware just how much their proposed regulations could affect Nevada���s tourism.

We were ultimately successful in getting them to strike the requirement for ���no overnight parking��� signage on parking lots outside of the "SCRV Dry Camping area,��� and also convinced them to amend the document to spell out exactly who was required to apply for this permit. This was a key change because the document previously stated "Anyone providing or intending to provide SCRV dry-camping spaces..." Now, the definition of whom it applies to has been added to the document and confirms that this regulation will only apply to businesses licensed to be accommodation providers. In other words, the restrictions will only apply to operators of casinos, hotels and motels. The new rules will not affect Wal-Mart, Cracker Barrel, rest stops, BLM land, or any other dry-camping opportunity.

Here is the official release from the Southern Nevada Health District, explaining the new regulations and confirming the changes that were made to address RVers��� concerns.

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Fact Sheet
Southern Nevada Health District
Dry-Camping Regulations for Public Accommodation Facilities

Background
On July 27, 2006, the Southern Nevada Health District revised its existing public accommodation regulations to address dry-camping facilities and newer models of self-contained recreational vehicles (SCRVs).

These requirements apply ONLY to facilities currently regulated by the health district under the Regulations Governing the Sanitation and Safety of Public Accommodation Facilities. A public accommodation facility is defined as a:

����Ķ hotel/casino, resort, hotel, motel, hostel, bed and breakfast facility, or other facility offering rooms or areas to the public for monetary compensation or other financial consideration on an hourly, daily, or weekly basis.���

Prior to this addition to the health district public accommodation facility regulations, the only existing regulations pertaining to recreational vehicles were written to meet the needs of older model recreational vehicles and facilities designed for long-term stays. These old regulations were not suited to allow for dry-camping, overnight stays, or short-term stays by more modern self-contained recreational vehicles without imposing unnecessary regulatory requirements on facilities not otherwise designated for long-term RV stays or camping.

The updated regulations, which were passed unanimously by the Southern Nevada District Board of Health, allow existing health-permitted facilities that provide lodging to the public, such as hotel and casino properties, to continue to provide dry-camping accommodations to SCRVs legally without having to meet the requirements of the State of Nevada RV/campground regulations.

Services provided under the new regulations include:

Back-up toilets and lavatories, water supply stations, sewage disposal facilities, and solid- waste disposal containers.

Back-up bathroom facilities can include facilities inside the hotel property. Additionally, some properties may choose not to provide sewage disposal facilities or water stations on-site, but will have a written agreement with another health-permitted public accommodation facility or full-service campground/RV park to provide those services to guests, as needed.

A check-in process for registering guests who plan on staying longer than overnight or for a rest stop or visit. This process is instituted for the safety of the guests. It will be the responsibility of the property to implement a process for registering guests and can be accomplished in a manner that limits the impact on guests accessing the dry-camping areas of a licensed public accommodation facility.

Information regarding the nature and scope of services offered by the facility. Information may be provided by properly posting signage, through brochures and pamphlets made available to guests, or by any other means determined to be effective by the facility and health authority. Information should include directions to appropriate parking areas and the location of potable water supplies, sewage disposal stations (on or off property), and solid-waste containers.

Compliance with the requirements of these regulations is the responsibility of any public accommodation facility which chooses to offer dry-camping services to its guests. These requirements are designed to improve the services offered to dry-campers rather than place additional responsibilities on the guests. Overnight and short-term stays are specifically allowed under the new regulations. Additionally, these regulations do not apply to other businesses or facilities that fall outside of the purview of the public accommodation regulations.

A complete copy of the Southern Nevada Health District Regulations Governing the Sanitation and Safety of Public Accommodation Facilities can be accessed at www.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org.