The Planning Commission recommended approval of a county‑initiated text amendment to the Land Development Code that would permit certified recreational vehicles (RVs) to be used as permanent dwellings inside mobile‑home parks only if the park elects to allow them and meets specified safeguards. The change responds to requests from mobile‑home communities after the 2024 hurricane season, when many manufactured homes suffered damage and residents sought alternatives that would let them remain in their communities without the cost of elevating or replacing damaged homes.

Under the amendment as presented, a park that opts in must meet several conditions: adopt an approved evacuation plan and comply with county emergency‑management orders; ensure at least 51% of sites remain reserved for mobile homes (so the park does not convert entirely to an RV park); permit only RVs that are fully licensed and ready for highway movement (on wheels or jacking systems) or keep a towing vehicle on site; require quick‑disconnect utility hookups (no permanent hard‑plumbed attachments); and enforce mandatory evacuation when county emergency management orders a tropical‑cyclone evacuation. Staff said code enforcement tools, permit conditions and fines would be used to enforce compliance.

Supporters argued the measure offers an immediate, practical housing option for affected residents and reduces the risk of homelessness after disasters while providing clear rules to preserve public safety. Commissioners examined enforcement, evacuation and the interaction with FEMA rules (including FEMA’s 50% substantial‑damage threshold). The Planning Commission recommended the text amendment with the described conditions (roll call recorded as a multi‑to‑one result in the transcript). The change is written to apply only to RVs inside mobile home parks and does not alter rules for RV resorts or campgrounds.