Moses Lake halts man's use of camper

MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake family was given 60 days to completely move their uncle out of a camper they keep parked on their driveway on Vince Road in Moses Lake.

Tim Mitchell came to the Moses Lake City Council asking them to continue to allow his uncle to use the camper as a home after someone previously complained to the city that the camper was being used while parked in the driveway.

“I’m just here to stand up for my uncle and ask for your help,” he said.

Tim, wife Leanne, son Cory and uncle Sonny all moved to Moses Lake from Yakima within the past year.

“Uncle Sonny is dying from emphysema and has lived with us on our property in Yakima for the last five years in his very old camper,” Tim stated in a letter to the council. “Uncle Sonny is somewhat of a hermit. He keeps to himself and relishes his privacy. He sleeps inside our home at night and visits throughout the day.”

He said his uncle uses the camper to sit in while he reads books and listens to the radio. There is no bathroom facility so he uses a bathroom in the home.

The reason he prefers to use the camper for listening to the radio and reading is because he seeks the quietness, Tim said.

“He does not bother a soul and is living out his last years with only Tim and myself to take care of him,” Leanne wrote to the council. “We persuaded Uncle Sonny to follow us here and assured him everything would be okay. He reluctantly moved here and things were good until the city told us Uncle Sonny would have to leave or pay $250 a day to stay parked in our driveway.”

The family stated they did not understand why anyone could be worried about their uncle staying in the camper part-time.

“We do not understand because there are so many more important things to worry about in this city,” they wrote. “Things such as drugs, gangs, thievery and attempted kidnapping, to name just a few. Uncle Sonny does not drink, do drugs, is not a criminal and does not bother anyone. He fought for our country in the Air Force and would like to live out the rest of his life as comfortable as he can.”

Tim said he didn’t learn about the city ordinance in place regulating how campers can be parked and used on private property until after he moved and hopes to work with the city to alleviate the situation.

The ordinance does not allow campers to be used for occupancy unless it is related to a non-profit organization participating in a construction project.

Councilmember Richard Pearce said he is sympathetic to his situation but nothing could be done to permanently allow the uncle to stay in the camper unless the ordinance is changed to allow the living situation.

Pearce asked Tim if he would be able to move his uncle into the home if given 60 days to do so.

Tim said his uncle lives in the house, but uses the camper in the driveway for long periods of time each day.

“He’s out there quite often,” he said.

Councilmember Jon Lane asked if the living situation was included in the definition of occupancy to see if the ordinance was truly being violated.

City Attorney Jim Whitaker said uses other than cleaning, servicing or storing items in the camper are defined as occupancy.

Pearce said the issue was originally related to the sight of the camper being parked in the driveway. It was later learned someone was using it for occupancy.

Tim asked the council to allow him 90 days to alleviate the situation.

Pearce motioned to give him 60 days to move the uncle into the home and come into compliance with the ordinance. During the 60 days, all enforcement action will be halted. Lane seconded the motion.

Councilmember Dick Deane asked Tim if he would be bothered if a neighbor allowed someone to live in a camper.

“To be honest with you sir, I don’t think I would,” Tim said.

He added that most of his neighbors were stunned to learn someone complained about the camper.

The motion to give him 60 days to come in compliance passed unanimously.