RV parks mad about utility fees

Just as winter residents return north for cooler temperatures, a battle is heating up in Zephyrhills.

In one corner: RV parks. In the other: the city. At issue: utility base rate fees for water and sewer services.

The disagreement concerns a unanimous decision the city council made in May. Acting upon a recommendation by utilities director David Henderson, council voted to charge RV parks utility base rate fees on a per-lot basis, even if the lots are empty. That undid a 1991 interpretation of the ordinance that charged per "unit," giving RV parks a break on lots that were unoccupied.

The change also applied to motels, hotels and apartments. It went into effect in January, but it wasn't until recently, when snowbirds started abandoning RV lots, that it became an issue.

What the council's decision equates to is $14.10 per lot, per month for RV parks inside the city limits, and $19.25 for those outside the city limits. There are 15 RV parks affected.

RV park owners say the charge on empty lots is unfair and threatens their ability to do business.

Howard Smith is one such RV park owner. He and Chris Bill operate Magnolia Trace, 5824 23rd St.

Smith says of the park's 30 lots, 16 of them are unoccupied for about six months of the year. During that period of time, Magnolia Trace will pay $1,848 in utility base rate fees for the empty lots.

"$1,848 is a lot of money to pay for nothing," Smith said. "It doesn't make sense at all."

Smith said he reserves his lots for winter residents as a courtesy, but passing on the utility base rate fees isn't an option because part-time residents wouldn't pay the extra cost. So, that leaves Magnolia Trace on the hook.

"We're barely making it," he said, adding the park took a $10,000 loss last year. "And now we're paying for nothing."

Carol Felten knows Smith's predicament well. As manager of Sterling Heights RV Resort, 39442 County Road 54, she watches as every year winter residents make their annual exodus, leaving the majority of lots in the park vacant.

This year, she estimates that out of 68 lots, only five will be occupied during the summer. That means that on 63 empty lots, which won't be occupied again until October, about $6,063 will be paid in utility base rates.

"I have no problem paying the base rate for five lots," she said. "I don't mind paying for the seven months that is our season. But for the five months during the summer, we're basically not open. I think there should be something the city can do to work it out."

Felten and Smith want to work with the city so they are charged only for the lots that are occupied. They say they'd be willing to make monthly reports and even have someone from the city come out to verify the numbers.

"If somebody comes out and does a spot check and finds we're not being honest, fine us," Smith said.

It's not that simple, according to the city.

From 1991 to 2010, when the council made its change, RV parks were allowed to pay just for the lots that were being used, said City Manager Steve Spina.

"What happens is, they don't tell us when people come back," he said. "We have to spend staff time to go out and count the lots. That's an added expense.

"We can't trust everybody. I don't doubt him (Smith) for a minute, but you can't operate on trust."

Spina explained the utility base rate pays for the costs of the infrastructure - the actual pipes, equipment and meters. The consumption portion of the bill is variable depending on usage and, in the case of empty lots, of course that amount would be zero.

The point is, Spina said, that it doesn't matter if half a park's residents leave for the summer because the cost to maintain the system is unchanged.

"To use sanitation as an example, if you have 35 lots, the city is still running a full truck and staff to pick up two people's garbage," he said. "All of our expenses are the same.

"We don't have the luxury of downsizing when (winter residents) go back up North."

Additionally, Henderson said, it becomes an issue of one group of people wanting an exception that isn't granted to others.

"Let's say we have an apartment complex that has 10 units. We charge a base rate for every unit. If it's only 50 percent full, they still have to pay a base rate for every unit," he said.

Still, Spina said the city is contacting other cities in the area and Pasco County to find out how they handle such situations.

So far, the research isn't in RV parks' favor, Spina said, pointing to Dade City. There, any lot that has an active water account attached to it is charged the base rate, even if no water is being used.

(813) 259-8170