Red Phone: Low branches need to be cut


There appears to be four or five camper trailers behind a home
on Tatum Avenue. This is agricultural land used to farm vegetables.
How many people can live in campers year round on a property within
the city?

“There appears to be four or five camper trailers behind a home on Tatum Avenue. This is agricultural land used to farm vegetables. How many people can live in campers year round on a property within the city?”

Dear Country Living,

Since the area in question is outside the city limits, it falls within county jurisdiction. The County Ordinance Code prohibits the occupancy of recreational vehicles unless they have a special permit, said Santa Clara County Code Enforcement Officer Jim Lanz.

There was actually a notice of violation filed in July on this property, and Lanz said he would forward the complaint on to the investigator to take a look at. The owners could face fines up to $100 a day if they are in violation of the law, he said.

“The county does not directly regulate the number of people who live on a property but does limit the number of dwellings per parcel,” Lanz said. “Throughout the rural areas in South County, this is limited to a single family residence with a possible secondary dwelling, which is limited in size, depending on parcel size.”

Suggestion from reader

“The owners of the house with multiple families living in it (mentioned in a Red Phone a few weeks ago) have an agreement with their lender. If they have a loan on the property, then a residential home is considered a single family residence. You need to notify the lender on the property to make a complaint. And, yes, call the landlord. They might not know 15 folks live in the house, which is an overload for any house.”

Dear Kick ‘Em Out,

Thanks for the suggestion, good caller. It is difficult for the city to enforce the number of people in a home, Code Enforcement Officer Scott Barron said in a previous Red Phone. So you might try giving the owner of the property a call if you still want them ousted. And let the Red Phone know how it turns out.

Public vs. private

“Hi, I’m wondering why Christopher High had a private dedication for their high school. The community should have all been invited, and it should not have been invitation only. Dedications should be open to the public because the public is paying for that school even though Don Christopher paid for most of it.”

Dear Open It Up,

When the school recently held its dedication ceremony in October, school officials wanted to make sure that the ones who were most affected were involved and that everything was in order.

“We wanted to have the students participate,” said CHS Principal John Perales. “It would have been difficult to invite the entire public, not knowing how many people to expect.”

The school opened in August with several incomplete buildings, including the library, gymnasium and cafeteria. As a result, administrators wanted to wait to showcase the nearly $200 million facility.

Now that administrators have had a chance to work out some of the kinks of opening a new school, Perales said anyone is welcome to come by. The school held an open house on Nov. 7, and it is open for anyone to walk through. Just make sure to stop at the front desk first.

“We are more than happy to facilitate tours of the facilities,” Perales said.

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