The Bartlett Board of Mayor and Aldermen is considering an ordinance amendment for situations most city residents hope they never have to endure.

The proposed changes would allow a Bartlett resident to live or sleep in a recreational vehicle on their property for a set period of time during “emergency circumstances.”

Those circumstances are defined as “in the case of uninhabitable residential dwellings damaged by flood, wind, or fire,” according to city documents.

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Bartlett Mayor Keith McDonald said the issue was brought to the city’s attention after a recent house fire there.

“The family had a camper that they could live in on the premises, but the way the ordinance was written they couldn’t do that,” McDonald said. “We looked at the old language. About half of it was obsolete anyway because we don’t even have the zoning type that was in the original one anymore.”

The Bartlett BMA is scheduled to consider the ordinance on first reading at its meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14 at City Hall. The meeting is also available on the city’s YouTube channel for those who cannot attend in-person.

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Major recreational equipment as defined by Bartlett includes boats, boat trailers, travel trailers, pick-up camper or coaches, motorized dwellings, tent trailers.

Residents who seek to use their recreational equipment for living or sleeping must submit a written request, including specific reasons and a time frame for the short-term living arrangement.

The city’s director of code enforcement must approve the request, which is valid for up to six months. Residents can renew the request for another six months.

All short-term residential recreational vehicles are required to be legally registered and tagged. They can only be parked in a carport, enclosed building or behind the building line and have the ability to discharge sanitary waste to the sewer.

“The recreational vehicle must be maintained in good aesthetic appearance and function and be kept road-worthy,” the proposed ordinance states. “No structures such as porches, storage space, additional rooms, permanent stairs or the like, may be attached to recreational vehicles.”

Construction repairs to the residential property needs to occur within 60 days of the short-term residential recreational vehicle approval. Also, only one short-term recreational vehicle is permitted on any parcel of land during the ongoing home repairs.

Even if the Bartlett BMA votes in a favor of the item on first reading there are two more readings before it goes into effect. The earliest a third and final vote on the matter could take place is Oct. 12, and a public hearing will occur during the three-reading review.