State-licensed manufactured housing communities (also previously known as mobile home parks) are a permitted use in the MHR, Manufactured Home Residential District subject to the following requirements for this high-density land use.
(A) Site size. A 15-acre site shall be the minimum site size.
(B) Access and roads.
(1) The proposed site location shall be governed by the requirements of § 11 of the Mobile Home Commission Act, being M.C.L.A. § 125.2311, and Rule 920(1)(b) of the Manufactured Housing Commission Rules.
(2) Two access points shall be provided to a public thoroughfare to allow a secondary access for emergency vehicles. A boulevard entrance extending to the first intersection of a community road shall be interpreted as satisfying this requirement.
(3) All internal roads shall be constructed of concrete or bituminous asphalt and be supported by a suitable sub-grade in compliance with the standards of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).
(4) Maximum cul-de-sac length shall be 1,000 feet. A blunt-end road is prohibited. An internal road that has no exit at one end shall terminate with an adequate turning area that is to be approved by the Township Fire Chief. Parking shall not be permitted within the turning area.
(5) Safe-sight distance shall be provided at intersections.
(6) An offset at an intersection or an intersection of more than two internal roads is prohibited.
(7) The following types of internal roads shall have driving surfaces that are not less than the following widths:
(a) One-way, no parking: 16 feet;
(b) Two-way, no parking: 21 feet;
(c) One-way, parallel parking, one side: 23 feet;
(d) One-way, parallel parking, two sides: 33 feet;
(e) Two-way, parallel parking, one side: 31 feet; and
(f) Two-way, parallel parking, two sides: 41 feet.
(8) All entrances to communities that have 300 or more home sites shall be a minimum of 30 feet in width. The entrance shall consist of an ingress lane and a left and right egress turning lane at the point of intersection between a public road and the community’s internal road, and shall be constructed as follows.
(a) All turning lanes shall be a minimum of ten feet in width and 60 feet in depth, measured from the edge of the pavement of the public road into the community.
(b) The turning lane system shall be tapered into the community internal road system commencing at a minimum depth of 60 feet.
(c) The ingress and right egress turning lanes of the ingress and egress road shall connect to the public road with a curved line that has a minimum radius of 15 feet. The intersection of the public road and the ingress and egress road shall not have squared corners.
(d) Entranceway structures, including but not limited to, walls, columns and gates marking the entrance to a manufactured housing community, may be permitted, and may be located in a required setback, except that required clear vision areas as provided under § 154.013 shall be maintained. The entranceway structure(s) shall comply with the State Building Code. A driveway permit shall be obtained from the County Road Commission or State Department of Transportation (whichever has jurisdiction) and must approve the proposed entranceway structures if located within the public road right-of-way.
(9) An orderly street name system and unit numbering system shall be established by the community owner and the plan of the system approved by the Township Fire Department. Manufactured home space numbers shall be located uniformly on each space, housing unit or identification marker, throughout the community, and street names shall be adequately marked at all internal road intersections.
(10) Appropriate traffic control signs shall be provided on all internal roads, and a regulation stop sign shall be installed at the point of intersection with a public road, unless a traffic control device is provided.
(C) Driveways.
(1) Improved hard-surface driveways shall be provided on the site where necessary for convenient access to service entrances of buildings, and at delivery and collection points for fuel, refuse and other materials.
(2) The minimum width of driveways shall be ten feet. The entrance to the driveway shall have the flare or radii, and horizontal alignment for safe and convenient ingress and egress.
(D) Resident vehicle parking.
(1) All home sites shall be provided with two parking spaces.
(2) If vehicle parking is provided on the home site, it shall be in compliance with both of the following provisions.
(a) The parking space shall be constructed of concrete or bituminous asphalt and supported by a suitable sub-grade in compliance with the standards of AASHTO.
(b) The parking spaces may be either in tandem or side-by-side. If spaces are in tandem, then the width shall not be less than nine feet and the combined length shall not be less than 40 feet. If spaces are side by side, then the combined width of the two parking spaces shall not be less than 18 feet and the length shall be not less than 20 feet.
(3) If the two resident vehicle parking spaces required by this section are provided off the home site, then the parking spaces shall be within 30 feet of the home site and each parking space shall have a clear parking width of nine feet and a clear length of 20 feet.
(4) If parking bays are provided for resident vehicle parking, they shall contain individual spaces that have a clear parking width of nine feet and a clear length of 20 feet.
(E) Visitor parking facilities.
(1) A minimum of one parking space for every three home sites shall be provided for visitor parking.
(2) Visitor parking shall be located within 500 feet of the home sites the parking is intended to serve, as measured along a road or sidewalk.
(3) If parking bays are provided for visitor parking, they shall contain individual spaces that have a clear parking width of nine feet and a clear length of 20 feet.
(F) Sidewalks.
(1) Public sidewalks: concrete sidewalks, five feet in width, shall be required along that portion of a community fronting along public road(s). The sidewalk shall be located within the road right-of-way or easement, beginning one foot inside the right-of-way line.
(2) (a) Sidewalks shall also be constructed in the community and maintained for the safe and convenient movement from all home sites to principal destinations within the community and connection to the public sidewalks outside the community.
(b) Sidewalks shall be installed along one side of all internal collector roads within the community and to the public right-of-way and to all service facilities including, but not limited to, central laundry, central parking and recreation areas.
(3) All sidewalks shall be constructed in compliance with all of the following requirements:
(a) Sidewalks shall have a minimum width of four feet and shall be constructed in compliance with Public Act 8 of 1973, being M.C.L.A. §§ 125.1361 et seq., an act that regulates sidewalks for disabled; and
(b) All sidewalks shall meet the standards established in Rule 928 of the Manufactured Housing Commission Rules and AASHTO standards.
(4) An individual sidewalk with a minimum width of three feet shall be constructed between at least one entrance, or patio, porch or deck of the dwelling if provided, and the parking spaces on the home site or parking bay, whichever is provided, or the common sidewalk.
(5) No portion of any off-street parking area shall be considered part of the sidewalk system.
(G) Lighting.
(1) Access points of the community from the public road shall be lighted. If the public thoroughfare is lighted, then the illuminated level shall not be more than the average illumination level of the adjacent illuminated thoroughfare.
(2) At all internal road intersections and designated pedestrian crosswalks, the minimum illumination shall not be less than 0.15-foot candle.
(3) Internal roads, parking bays and sidewalks shall be illuminated at not less than 0.05-foot candle.
(4) If a community directory is provided, then it shall be illuminated at not less than 3.15 horizontal foot-candles on any entry on the directory.
(H) Utilities.
(1) All electrical, telephone, cable television, natural gas and other utility services shall be installed underground and specifically designed in conformance with the Manufactured Housing Commission Rules. When separate meters are installed, each meter shall be located in a uniform manner on each housing site.
(2) All manufactured housing sites and all other buildings within the community shall be connected to the water system of the township, if it is available to the community, or to another state-approved system. The community water system shall conform to Part 2-4 of the State Department of Environmental Quality manufactured housing community standards.
(3) Fire hydrants shall be installed in all communities for which public water systems are available and shall be in compliance with the requirements and provisions of the fire code. There shall be no more than 500 feet between hydrants as measured along adjacent roadways within the community.
(4) All manufactured housing sites and all other buildings within the community shall be connected to the public sanitary sewage system of the township, if it is available to the community within 200 feet at the time of preliminary site plan approval. If a public sewer system is unavailable, the proposed development shall connect to a state-approved sewage system. The community’s sanitary sewage system shall conform to the State Department of Environmental Quality manufactured housing community standards.
(5) All storm sewers shall be constructed in accordance with Parts 2-4 of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality manufactured housing community standards. Additional requirements for a community may be established by the County Drain Commissioner, pursuant to § 11(3) of Public Act 96 of 1987, being M.C.L.A. §§ 125.2301 through 125.2350, as amended.
(I) Individual home site size, spacing, setback and fence requirements and pool location.
(1) Home site area.
(a) The manufactured housing community shall be developed with sites averaging 5,500 square feet per manufactured housing unit.
(b) This 5,500 square feet average may be reduced by 20% provided that each individual site shall be equal to at least 4,400 square feet.
(c) For each square foot of land gained through the reduction of the average site below 5,500 square feet, at least an equal amount of land shall be dedicated as open space.
(d) This open space shall be in addition to that required under R 125.1946, Rule 946 and R 125.1941 and R 125.1944, Rules 941 and 944 of the Michigan Administrative Code, and division (K) below. (Open Space Requirements) of this chapter.
(2) Required distances between homes and other structures.
(a) Home sites shall be arranged to allow for, and manufactured homes shall be located to comply with, all of the following minimum separation distances, as measured from the wall support line or foundation line, whichever provides the greater distance:
1. For a home not sited parallel to an internal road, 20 feet from any part of an attached structure of an adjacent home that is used for living purposes;
2. For a home sited parallel to an internal road, 15 feet from any part of an attached structure of an adjacent home that is used for living purposes if the adjacent home is sited next to the home on the same internal road or an intersecting internal road;
3. Ten feet from either of the following:
a. The parking space on an adjacent home site; or
b. An attached or detached structure or accessory of an adjacent home that is not used for living purposes.
4. Fifty feet from permanent community-owned structures, such as either of the following:
a. Club houses; or
b. Maintenance and storage facilities.
5. One hundred feet from a baseball or softball field; and
6. Twenty-five feet from the fence of a swimming pool.
(b) Attached or detached structures or accessories that are not used for living space shall be a minimum of ten feet from an adjacent home or its adjacent attached or detached structures.
(c) Any part of an accessory structure, such as steps, porches, supported or unsupported awnings, decks, carports or garages, or similar structures shall be set back the following minimum distances:
1. Ten feet from the edge of an internal road;
2. Seven feet from a parking bay off a home site;
3. Seven feet from a common sidewalk; and
4. Twenty-five feet from a natural or human-made lake or waterway.
(d) A carport shall be in compliance with both of the following setbacks if it is completely open, at a minimum, on the two long sides and the entrance side:
1. Support pillars that are installed adjacent to the edge of an internal road shall be set back four feet or more from the edge of the internal road or two feet or more from the edge of a sidewalk; and
2. Roof overhangs shall be set back two feet or more from the edge of the internal road.
(e) Steps and their attachments shall not encroach into parking areas more than three and one-half feet.
(3) Setbacks from property boundary lines.
(a) Homes, permanent buildings and facilities, and other structures shall not be located closer than 20 feet from the property boundary line of the community.
(b) If homes, permanent buildings and facilities, and other structures abut a public right-of-way, then they shall not be located closer than 50 feet from the boundary line. If the boundary line runs through the center of the public road, then the 50 feet shall be measured from the road right-of-way line.
(4) Fences on individual home sites. Fences on individual home sites shall be uniform in height, not to exceed 36 inches, and shall be constructed in a manner so as to provide firefighters an access to at least two gates.
(5) Pool location. Free-standing swimming pools, spas, hot tubs and similar devices shall not be located between any home and roadway. Swimming pools, spas, hot tubs and similar devices are further regulated under § 154.027, concerning swimming pools, if provided, shall be in compliance with Public Act 368 of 1978, being M.C.L.A. §§ 333.1101 et seq., as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder.
(J) Screening/landscaping. Manufactured housing communities shall provide the following screening, buffering and landscaping.
(1) If a manufactured home development abuts an existing residential development, the development shall provide screening along the boundary line abutting the adjacent development, if not in conflict with existing utilities.
(2) In all cases, a community shall provide screening along the boundary abutting a public right-of-way.
(3) The landscaping shall consist of evergreen trees or shrubs that are spaced so they provide a continuous screen at maturity.
(4) Landscape material shall consist of evergreen trees a minimum of four feet in height at installation and evergreen shrubs a minimum of three feet in height at maturity.
(5) The Planning Commission may approve alternative screening techniques (earth berms, fences and the like) based upon a landscape plan for the site if they conceal the manufactured home development as effectively as the required landscaping described above.
(6) Exposed ground surfaces in all parts of the community shall be paved or covered with ornamental stone or protected with grass, trees or shrubs that are capable of preventing soil erosion. The ground surface and all parts of the community shall be graded and equipped to drain all surface water in a safe and efficient manner.
(K) Open space requirements.
(1) A community that contains 50 or more sites shall have not less than 2% of the community’s gross acreage dedicated to designated open space, but in no case less than 25,000 square feet. At least one-half of the required open space, up to two acres, shall be dedicated to community recreation uses, such as, but not limited to, picnic areas, athletic fields, playgrounds, walking trails, basketball courts and lawn game areas.
(2) Required setbacks may not be used in the calculation of open space area. No part of a wastewater lagoon(s) and any appurtenances thereto shall be considered a part of any required open space.
(L) Site constructed buildings, dwellings and additions to manufactured homes.
(1) Site constructed buildings within the community such as community buildings or laundries, but not including manufactured homes and their HUD approved accessory buildings, shall be reviewed by the township at the time of submission for a building permit under the State Building Code, unless approved as part of the original plan for the community.
(2) The maximum height of any community or similar building shall not exceed 35 feet, or two stories in height, whichever is less. Storage or service buildings shall not exceed 15 feet, or one story in height.
(3) Community or service buildings shall not be located adjacent to an adjoining parcel that is either zoned or developed for single-family residential purposes, unless wall or greenbelt (see § 154.018) is provided for that area.
(4) Site-built single-family dwellings may be located in a community as follows:
(a) One single-family dwelling may be permitted for the exclusive use of the community owner or manager in a community of 30 acres or less;
(b) Two single-family dwellings may be permitted for the exclusive use of the community owner, manager or caretaker in a community in excess of 30 acres; and
(c) Any such single-family dwellings permitted under this section shall comply in all respects with the requirements of single-family dwellings in the R-1A Single-Family Residential District.
(5) Any addition to a manufactured home unit that does not comply with the standards of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for manufactured homes and any site built garages or carports shall comply with the State Building Code. A carport or garage shall not exceed 576 square feet.
(M) Signs.
(1) There shall be a maximum of one sign per road frontage with an entrance that shall bear only the name of the community.
(a) The sign may be lighted, provided that the source of the light is not visible and is not of the flashing or intermittent type.
(b) One sign, not exceeding 32 square feet in area shall be permitted for the first entrance provided to the community.
(c) For multiple entrances, a 16-square-foot sign shall be permitted at each entrance after the first.
(d) Signs may be doubled-faced, but each side of the sign shall have identical copy and be flush with the other side.
(e) Signs shall not exceed eight feet in height.
(2) Signs purely for traffic regulation and direction within the manufactured housing community may be utilized as required.
(N) Boats, RVs and hobby vehicles storage.
(1) If boats, boat trailers and utility trailers are permitted to be parked within the manufactured housing community, adequate parking spaces for the vehicles in a central or collective parking area shall be provided. This area shall be in addition to the automobile parking requirements of this chapter and shall be adequately locked, fenced and permanently buffered.
(2) The storage shall not be located adjacent to an adjoining parcel that is either zoned or developed for single-family residential purposes, unless a wall or greenbelt (§ 154.018) is provided for that area.
(O) Compliance with regulations. The design, layout, construction and use of a manufactured housing community shall in all other respects comply with the regulations on the design, construction and use of manufactured housing communities, the sale and leasing of manufactured housing lots and all other aspects of the construction and use of manufactured housing communities, as set forth in the rules of the State Manufactured Housing Commission, as amended from time to time.
(Ord. passed 6-28-2006)