RV parking rules in City of Canandaigua

City of Canandaigua RV parking at a glance

What does the City call a travel trailer?

Section 850-12 defines it as any vehicle used for occupancy for camping, vacation or travel. Do not assume the term is limited to a conventional towable trailer or import a floodplain definition. Ask zoning staff if a campervan or other unusual vehicle falls within it.

What are the residential storage conditions?

Under §850-11F, stored boats, vehicles, travel trailers, snowmobiles, trailers, campers and other RVs must be owned by a resident of the premises or held by that resident under a bona fide lease. Undeveloped residential lots may not be used for this storage. Front yards may not be used for open storage or parking except on clearly defined, recognizable driveways or parking areas.

The more specific travel-trailer rules permit only one on a residential lot, at least four feet from every lot line. Rear-yard placement must be behind the rear house foundation or its lateral extension.

When may it use a driveway or side yard?

Section 850-11F(1)(e) says travel trailers may park in driveways from April 1 to December 1 and thereafter belong in rear yards, subject to the other stated conditions. Confirm boundary-date treatment rather than inventing an extra day. If rear-yard parking is impractical because of size, contour or physical difficulties, side-yard parking requires an application to and approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals. Owner consent alone is not that approval.

May visitors sleep in it?

No travel trailer may be used as living or sleeping quarters within the City under §850-11F(1)(d). Empty storage permission is not a guest-sleeping exception, and utility hookups do not make occupied use lawful. Loading and maintenance are separate uses for which this clause supplies no general grace period.

Are streets and right-of-way covered?

This is a private storage and occupancy guide, not street clearance. Check the exact posted street restriction, seasonal measures and property boundary. The adopted October 2026 St. John’s Court amendment has a later effective date; a new-law listing is not proof that its restrictions are already in force on November 6.

Who to contact for your setup

Ask City of Canandaigua code enforcement for the exact parcel, zoning district, vehicle classification and intended use. Ask police about the particular street or public lot. Private covenants, approved site plans, utility approvals and property-owner consent remain separate.

Use the City of Canandaigua parking checker to organize the starting conditions. The checker cannot approve a parcel, a variance or an unverified exception.

Official sources reviewed November 6, 2026

• Canandaigua §850-11F

• Canandaigua zoning definitions

• Ordinance 2026-004, St. John’s Court

• City code edition

A review date records when we checked these sources. The notes above explain any use of older code editions or limits on access to the full source; an address-specific city determination may still be required. Read our research method.