The following obligations are imparted upon those who choose to locate a manufactured housing unit in the city as of the date of final adoption of this subchapter.
(A) A building permit is required for the establishment of a manufactured home on an individual lot and in accordance with the provisions of city ordinance 90.030 to include the building permit fee structure set forth in that document. No manufactured housing unit shall be placed on a lot smaller than 50 feet X 100 feet (5000 square feet). Manufactured homes sited in the city must be a minimum 60 feet in length and 12 feet in width. Manufactured homes sited in the city must be constructed later than January 1, 1977. This requirement is imposed due to safety features incorporated into manufactured housing resulting from the National Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974. This Federal Act was enacted to improve the quality and durability of manufactured homes and to reduce the number of injuries and deaths caused by manufactured home accidents. A manufactured home title or a notarized statement must be furnished as to provide proof of manufactured date. Manufacturer’s set up installation instructions must be followed if available. In the event that the manufacturer’s setup instructions differ from prescriptions outlined in this subchapter, the municipality will, in most instances, defer to the manufacturer’s instructions.
(B) Prior to the placement of a manufactured home on a developable building lot, the person desiring the permit must make application and participate in a pre-construction conference established to review the manufactured home siting process. A plot map, showing the actual placement of the manufactured home on the site, as well as noting other significant site features such as the placement of accessory building or garage must be developed and approved (See Appendix A, describing plot map criteria, incorporated in and made a part of this chapter).
(C) A manufactured home shall be in good repair at the time it is installed. The city reserves the right to require a home inspection to ensure that all manufactured home systems are operable as a placement precondition. No material defect of any consequence should be noted as the home is placed upon a lot. In the event defects are noted, necessary repairs must be made to remedy the problem prior to certificate of occupancy issuance. Manufactured home repairs or improvements must meet the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Act of 1974 and as these standards may have been modified or otherwise updated.
(D) Exterior siding, roofing, and exterior covering material shall not be out of character with surrounding structures.
(E) Manufactured homes shall be placed on a lot sufficient in size to address the property set back requirements (See Appendix B, defining and describing property setback requirements, incorporated in and made a part of this chapter). Only one manufactured home per residential lot. Manufactured homes will be placed on a lot with consideration for mitigating any overhanging features that pose hazard such as telephone lines, electric lines, tree branches. Any objects that may be an impediment to the placement of manufactured home shall be removed or secured prior to certificate of * occupancy issuance.
(F) The city and all property owners within 150 feet of the property site must be notified, by applicant within 48 hours prior when the manufactured housing will be installed on site.
(G) Manufactured homes may not be permitted on a building lot unless it has been determined that property is free of encumbrances constituting health or safety hazard including debris, exposed pipes, and the like. In the event these obstacles or conditions are present, their containment, removal or mitigation must occur prior to certificate of occupancy issuance.
(H) A traffic plan must be submitted to the city for review in advance of the manufactured home mobilization, demonstrating the method of transporting the manufactured home through the community to the location site.
(I) Manufactured home transportation and placement must occur between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
(J) Prior to the placement of manufactured home on the site, the property must be properly surveyed for determination of actual flood elevation. All manufactured homes located in the city must be so sited that the elevation of the lowest habitable floor of the structure or the lowest flood proofed elevation is above the corresponding base flood elevation as priorly determined for that property site. The height of the manufactured home shall be generally limited to 40 inches from the ground level to the bottom of the main chassis. Should that distance not be sufficient to meet flood elevation requirements, the city reserves the right to require the property site to be built up with compacted clean fill soil to a height that may satisfy flood elevation guidelines while maintaining the maximum 40 inch distance requirements (This 40 inch maximum is not subject to variance consideration). The city may afford opportunity for an increase in footings beyond a 40" height maximum, provided the footings, anchoring, and tie down systems are engineered and the plans detailing their construction and assemblage, are stamped by a licensed engineer or architect. Additionally, that the skirting requirements covering the under carriage are priorly approved. In the event the applicant cannot achieve the desired flood elevation mitigation with footings not exceeding 40 inches and choose not to comply with one of these two alternative mitigation solutions, then the city will prohibit the manufactured home placement outright due to the potential health and safety risk factors.
(K) All site preparation work to include grading, excavating and foundation preparation must be accomplished prior to manufactured home installation. Concrete blocks used to shore the understructure must be placed on appropriate footings as to adequately distribute the load bearing weight. Footings must be placed below frost line, generally to a depth 16 to 24 deep inches below ground level. Wood support structures must also be placed on appropriate footings (See Appendix D, describing typical manufactured home installation guideline, incorporated in and made a part of this chapter).
(L) All water and sewer work is to have been installed and inspected for proper conveyance prior to certificate of occupancy issuance.
(M) All soil excavated and otherwise exposed, must be re-seeded as soon as possible to ensure proper grass coverage. All piles of dirt must be removed or graded level and construction debris eliminated prior to certificate of occupancy issuance.
(N) Exterior covering material known as skirting shall be applied to all manufactured homes in an aesthetically pleasing fashion so as to completely cover the under carriage. Skirting material must be approved at the pre-construction conference. The skirting and supporting framework must be of a material not affected adversely by moisture. Concrete block foundations must be firred and sheathed with an approved wood or metal skirting product. Skirting constructed out of wood material must be painted or stained at the time the manufactured home is sited and prior to certificate of occupancy issuance. During inclement weather, a performance bond may compensate for necessary skirting work. However, such work must be completed within 90 days of mobile home placement on site. Skirting will be continuous as to ensconce the whole dwelling unit. The same skirting material shall be applied the continuous course of the application. Skirting shall have ventilation openings with a net area of at least 1½ inches square per linear foot. The opening shall be designed to provide cross ventilation on at least two approximately opposite sides of the manufactured home. An opening will be constructed into the skirting to provide inspectors access underneath the manufactured home. The opening will be sufficient in size so that a fully equipped fire-person may gain access underneath the manufactured home. It is assumed that the placement of skirting around the manufactured home will not serve as to impede the natural flow of water associated with flood prone areas. In the event that the placement of skirting is determined to alter the water course as to increase the prospect of flood hazard, then alternative skirt mitigating features will be required.
(O) At least 75% of the area under the home must have 30 inches of clearance between the bottom of the main chassis member and the ground level and in no case less than 24 inches of clearance. Clearance heights greater than 40 inches above ground level must be approved at the pre-construction conference and depending upon height and circumstance, may require engineering approval.
(P) Every exit must have a landing and a set of stairs that meet code requirement. Stair steps at least 36 inches wide will be constructed to access doorways and exits. Stair stringer will be placed solidly on a permanent concrete pad with dimensions four feet X four feet and three and one-half inches deep. All steps will be properly secured to the manufactured home. The doorway thresholds must properly align with the staircase landing. The steps will ascend to a landing 36 inches X 36 inches. Stair treads will be nine inches deep and risers will be eight inches high; no more than a quarter inch deviation between stair riser heights and between tread lengths. Handrails will be affixed to both sides of each stairway. Side handrails must tie into a landing guardrail that is a constructed distance of 36 inches from the deck to top of handrail (See stair case construction, Appendix C, incorporated in and made a part of this chapter). Wrought iron may substitute for wood handrails. Prefabricated concrete steps may substitute for wood steps provided the associated measurements are generally in conformance with the width and height measurements for stair steps set forth in this subchapter.
(Q) Glass doors, (sliders) incorporated into the manufactured home require a corresponding building deck covering an area at least 96 square feet. The deck and accompanying steps shall be built of pretreated wood composition supported by concrete pads or pier blocks. Deck material must be treated and fastened with galvanized nail or screws. Decking must be installed using either two inch X six inch or 5/4 inch X six inch dimensional lumber. Decking must be affixed to floor joist on 16 inch centers, joist should be constructed from two inch X eight inch dimensional lumber not to exceed 12 foot clear span. Deck will be accessed by at least one stair case which must be set on a concrete pad measuring four feet X four feet and three and one-half inches deep. Handrails must be placed on both sides of the staircase and tie into a four inch X four inch wood post. Stair treads will be nine inches deep, risers will be eight inches high with no more than one-quarter inch deviancy between riser heights and between tread lengths. Deck staircase material will be treated and stained at time of installation and properly anchored to door. Handrails will be established at a minimum 36 inch height from deck. Handrail posts will be constructed from four inch X four inch treated wood material; guardrails will be constructed from two inch X two inch wood material or greater and affixed on six inch centers. Distance from deck to bottom of handrail cannot exceed four inch. Openings: small enough that a four inch diameter sphere cannot pass through (See Appendix D, stair case construction).
(R) The manufactured home will be properly aligned on the building lot with the length (narrow side) running parallel to the primary street and/or generally complimenting nearby houses in terms of property line set back and side back arrangement. Manufactured homes must be set back at least 25 feet from the front and flanking street yards and placed in a manner reflecting a general trend or pattern corresponding to adjacent housing alignments. Any deviation from the 25 feet setback must be approved at time of pre-conference meeting. The manufactured home must be placed at least eight feet from the side yard lot line and ten feet back from the rear yard (See Appendix B, covering setbacks).
(S) Garage must be built in a fashion that conforms with all applicable building criteria and adhering to the same set back and side yard requirements as the manufactured home. Construction of a garage requires a separate building permit as do any other accessory structures located onsite.
(T) Building heights shall be limited to a height of 35 feet, antennas and other projecting devices shall be limited to this same height, with the exception of a flag pole.
(U) Street numbers of sufficient size and placement shall be affixed to the dwelling unit in an easily read format readily discernible from the street.
(V) Illumination devices shall be installed upon a property in such a manner as to avoid causing a nuisance impact upon the adjoining neighbor’s property.
(W) Fences may be constructed out of wood or metal material. Front yard or flanking street yard fence may not exceed a height of 48 inches and side yard and back yard fences may be constructed to a height not to exceed six feet. Side yard fences shall graduate from front bard fence height to side yard fence height over a 20 foot span. No sight obstructing fence more than 36 inches in height nor any non-sight obstruction fence (cyclone) more than 48 inches in height may be erected and/or maintained within the required front yard or required flanking street yard or any lot used for residential purpose. A residential fence exceeding the height standards requires a variance.
(X) Property owner agrees as part of the manufactured home placement process, not to protest their property’s inclusion into a utility local improvement district or a road improvement district should those efforts be pursued by public petition or city resolution.
(Y) All impervious surfaces that may result from the installation of walkways and driveways shall be designed to divert storm waters away from adjacent owner’s property.
(Z) Awning or roof attachments added to the manufactured home must have a roof pitch greater than three inches in 12. Likewise, any garage or outbuilding constructed shall have a similar roof pitch.
(AA) Garbage receptacles shall be kept within a screen enclosure constructed of sight obscuring material.
(BB) Manufactured homes used for home occupancy shall be limited to residential neighborhoods.
(CC) Curbs and sidewalks will be constructed as to align with similar features on the adjoining properties so as to create continuous curbs and walkways. No building permit shall be construed to give permission to obstruct any public street or sidewalk unless specifically provided for in the order granting the permit.
(DD) Construction work associated with curb cuts, driveway approaches, and construction of curb and sidewalk need to be reviewed as work is in process.
(EE) In the absence of sidewalks, the homeowner agrees to dedicate a three foot right of way surface for their eventual placement and to set fences back as to provide for that opportunity.
(FF) Any additions or modifications to affect the structure’s exterior dimension after erection on site shall necessitate a new building permit and a pre-construction conference. Remodel or repairs to the manufactured home may require a building permit.
(GG) Dryer vent and pressure relief valve for hot water tanks must terminate outside of the skirting.
(HH) Towing tongue must be removed or completely disguised.
(II) All areas used for access, egress, and circulation shall be surfaced with a minimum of two inches of crushed rock and no less than two inches of asphalt, concrete pavement, or equivalent.
(JJ) On-site excavation for purpose of installing a cellar, vault, well, and the like, will require a separate building permit.
(Ord. 90.04, passed 2-25-98) Penalty, see § 151.99