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RV Rentals An Issue Inside Altoona Neighborhood

    The long-term practice of renting RV spaces at the Shockley Heights Community Club could return, but the process of bringing the practice into legal compliance could take some time and is causing some residents in the Altoona - area community to seek new lodging locations.
    Shockley Heights is located on CR 445 in the Ocala National Forest, near the Alexander Springs recreational area. Roughy half-dozen sites behind the clubhouse in the center of the community have been rented for RV use for many years, but recently found to be operating in violation of county code.  The effort to bring the rental program into compliance has resulted in current residents being forced to move.
    According to Lake County, officials were contacted by the club on January 28 regarding the legality of its operations.  On January 30, the county conducted a site visit, and confirmed that the county had never issued permits for the site to be used as an RV park, and the property’s current agricultural zoning does not permit such usage.
    On February 6, the county served a notice of code violation to the club, allotting fourteen days to get the sites cleared due to zoning district use violations. The ensuing need for owners to remove campers, some which have been in place for years, has been difficult and caused friction within the rural community. One resident near the clubhouse, Manuel Mejia, reported this week he had filed a complaint with the state for potential abuse of the elderly associated with the notices to vacate.
       The county could begin levying fines of $100 per day if the RVs were not moved by its deadline, it is believed.
    The issue rose to the surface beginning last October, when incoming board treasurer Kendra Durrance was working to get up to speed on the club’s operations.
    “My priority was to ensure that the organization was operating in compliance with all applicable county, state, and federal requirements.  It was important to me to confirm that the actions being taken were lawful and that I was fulfilling my responsibilities properly as a board member.”
    Meeting with other board members and reviewing club documents, questions began to arise about the legality of the RV operations.
    “As I continued reviewing records and operations, I discovered… compliance matters that required attention.  These included county code enforcement issues, as well as the fact that the club had not been filing its required nonprofit tax returns.”
    Speaking on the issue this week,  Durrance, said the club is working with the county to weave through the approval process that would make the mini campground legal, as it is an important fundraiser for the organization.  But leaving the current renters in place was not an option due to potential daily fines that could be issued should the practice remain active without proper regulatory permissions.
    Additionally, county officials said Durrance requested a meeting with the county and RV residents for proper guidance on the matter, but the county declined due to not being able to provide legal advice to the residents.