Residents of Green Haven RV Park in Falls City, Ore., may soon see an increase in what they pay for water, according to a report by the Itemizer-Observer.
In November, the Falls City City Council requested a review of water usage at the park, which has 30 recreational vehicle spaces served by water, a restroom, an office and a manufactured home onsite.
The city has considered the residents in the park as temporary and were required by the city to move every six months, but state law states otherwise.
The law (ORS 197.493) says “local governments may not prohibit the placement or occupancy of a recreational vehicle, impose any limit on the length of occupancy of a recreational vehicle” if it is in a mobile home or RV park and served by water, sewer and electricity. All three of those utilities are available at Green Haven, 200 Church St.
Mayor Terry Ungricht labeled the status as “non-temporary.”
“It’s weird,” Ungricht said. “If you have a site that has a permanent water, sewer and electric hook up, they are no longer considered temporary under state law. They don’t designate them as permanent, but they are saying that we cannot require them to move. They basically become permanent residents.”
Currently, the park is on one meter and billed for a 2-inch water line at the commercial rate, averaging about $243.54 per month in 2015. The city used the 2015 number for comparison because the park has a water leak in 2016 thar significantly increased usage. In 2016, the average monthly bill was $551.59.
Ungricht said other multi-unit complexes in town with one meter are typically charged with a “multiplier,” meaning each unit is charged a base rate for service and overage fees for any usage more than 5,000 gallons per month.
“They are getting a real big break on their water,” Ungricht said. “It’s a tough one. I think that they are definitely taking of advantage of other customers on the system.
During a discussion on Dec. 8, the council directed Ungricht to begin negotiations with the park to change the way it is billed to match what other users on the system pay.
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