Manufactured Homes. Manufactured homes are permitted provided that the proposed manufactured home shall be affixed to a permanent foundation and shall otherwise comply with all other requirements for residential structures under applicable ordinances and codes.
Mobile Home Parks. Mobile Home Parks are permitted as per the Official Zoning Map within Residential Mobile Home (RMH) zone, and must adhere to the following standards:
A. Improvement Location Permit-Required. Prior to the location, relocation or establishment of any manufactured or mobile home, the homeowner or authorized representative shall secure from the Building Commissioner an improvement location permit, which states that the building and its location conform with the Comprehensive Plan.
1. Each application for an improvement location permit shall be accompanied by:
a. Those plot plans as required for all dwelling units, but which at a minimum include elevations or photographs of all sides of the home, exterior dimensions, roof materials, foundation siding or perimeter retaining wall treatment, foundation siding or perimeter retaining wall treatment, foundation construction and materials, exterior finishes and the like;
b. Health department approval for any sewage disposal or water supply, where applicable;
c. PUD or subdivision permit approval, where applicable; and
d. Such other information, as may be required by the Building Commissioner for proper enforcement of this Ordinance (including data sheet provided by the Building Commissioner).
2. Failure to obtain either an improvement location permit or a certificate of occupancy shall be in violation of this Division and punishable under the provisions of Division IV. Failure to notify the Building Commissioner for all applicable inspections shall be a violation of this Ordinance and punishable under the provisions of this Ordinance.
3. Temporary use certificates may be issued in the following instances, and is valid for two (2) years:
a. To an applicant in the process of building a conventional dwelling to locate a manufactured or mobile home on a building lot during the course of construction of the dwelling, such permit shall not be issued until after a building permit for the dwelling has been issued;
b. To an applicant to use a manufactured or mobile home as a caretaker’s quarters or construction office at a job site;
c. To an applicant whose own health or the health of another necessitates care, and where the facts show that an unnecessary hardship would occur if not permitted to locate a manufactured home adjacent to the residence of one who is able to provide such care or in need of such care.
4. At the time the temporary permit expires, the manufactured or mobile home and all appurtenances shall be removed from the property within ninety (90) days.
B. Minimum Lot Size and Spacing.
1. All mobile home plots shall have a minimum lot size of three thousand (3,000) square feet and shall be situated on the lot so that mobile homes are separated by a minimum of sixteen feet (16').
C. Storage of Travel Trailer or RV.
1. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, park, store or maintain a travel trailer or RV within the City outside a properly zoned mobile home park which is duly licensed by the Indiana State Department of Health except as specifically permitted in this section:
2. It shall be permissible for a bona fide guest of a house holder to park a travel trailer or RV in the rear yard or driveway of any single-family dwelling house for a period of time not to exceed fifteen (15) days in any one calendar year provided that such travel trailer or RV is used only for sleeping purposes during such fifteen (15) day period. Such travel trailer or RV may not exceed thirty-two feet (32') in length.
3. A travel trailer or RV may be parked or stored in the City provided that it is not used for living or sleeping purposes during such time as it is so stored or parked, or it does not constitute a nuisance or fire hazard. If such vehicle is parked in a residential zone, it shall meet front, side, or rear setback requirements of that zone. Mobile home parks or campgrounds may set aside designated areas for unoccupied parking or storage of travel trailers or RV’s.
4. No travel trailer or RV shall be maintained in the City as a permanent office. However, a vehicle may be used as a contractor’s office on a construction site during periods of construction provided that it is not used for living or sleeping purposes during such time. A vehicle may also be used as an office for a mobile home park or for a mobile home or RV sales lot.
D. Prohibited Uses.
1. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, park, store, or maintain any mobile home within the City’s jurisdiction that does not comply with the requirements of this Section. It shall be understood that this regulation does not pertain to vehicles classified as “campers” or “recreational vehicles”, except as specifically noted.
E. Attachment or Addition.
1. Any action to attach a mobile home to the ground by means of posts, piers, foundations, or otherwise, or to add thereto in any way shall be subject to the requirements of the building code of the City as well as this Division and if said building code does not permit the addition, said addition shall be prohibited.
F. Damaged or Dilapidated Mobile Homes.
1. Wrecked, damaged or dilapidated mobile homes shall not be kept or stored either within or without a mobile home park at any time. The Building Commissioner shall determine if a mobile home is damaged or dilapidated to a point which makes said mobile home unfit for human occupancy on either a temporary or permanent basis. Whenever such a determination is made, the mobile home shall be vacated and removed from the premises. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to supersede or interfere with any nuisance declaration.
G. Storage of Equipment or Materials.
1. All outdoor storage of equipment or materials shall be in an enclosure fully screened from public view.
H. Permitted Mobile Home Park Amenities.
1. Complimentary, non-intensive accessory uses shall be permitted to facilitate the management and maintenance of the mobile home park and provide community amenities. Permitted non-residential accessory uses shall include the following, which must be specifically identified on the site plan submitted for approval under this section:
a. Clubhouse;
b. Snack bar;
c. Laundry facilities;
d. Management office;
e. Recreation facilities, including playgrounds, swimming pools, tennis courts, basketball courts and community buildings; or
f. Storage area for maintenance equipment.
g. Each mobile home dwelling site shall include a paved parking area with a length of twenty feet (20') and a width of ten feet (10').
I. Mandatory Mobile Home Amenities.
1. If fifty (50) or more housing units are located in a mobile home park, then a minimum of one-half (½) acre of parkland must be provided for residents.
2. If thirty (30) or more housing units are located in a mobile home park, then laundry facilities must be provided.
J. Mobile Home Park Street Standards.
1. Each mobile home park shall be comprised of paved private streets designed to accommodate the contemplated parking capacity and traffic load of the proposed mobile home park. Such streets shall be installed as follows:
a. All internal streets shall be two-way and a minimum of twenty-eight feet (28') in width.
b. All mobile home park private streets shall be maintained in a safe, passable condition at all times.
c. If thirty (30) or more housing units are located in a mobile home park, then guest parking spaces must be provided in a location that is accessible by an internal street at a rate of one (1) parking space per every five (5) mobile homes.
K. Lighting. All mobile home parks shall be furnished with lighting units which maintain levels of illumination adequate for the safe movement of pedestrians and vehicles at night of no less than 0.2 foot-candles measured at grade.
L. Walks. All mobile home parks shall be equipped with a safe common walkway system with a minimum width of five feet (5'). The walkway system shall be designed to facilitate pedestrian movement between mobile home dwelling sites, along interior streets, and to provide access to park facilities and amenities. The walkway system shall further provide for handicap accessibility along at least one (1) side of each private street.
M. Refuse Handling and Common Collection Points.
1. The storage, collection, and disposal of refuse in a mobile home park shall not be conducted in a manner that creates health hazards, rodent harborage, insect breeding areas, accident or fire hazards, or air pollution.
2. All refuse shall be stored in fly-tight, watertight, rodent-proof containers, which shall be located not more than one hundred fifty feet (150') from any mobile home pad.
3. Containers shall be provided in sufficient number and capacity to properly store all refuse.
4. Refuse collection stands shall be provided for all refuse containers. The container stands shall be designed to prevent containers from being tipped, to minimize spillage and container deterioration, and to allow cleaning around them.
5. All refuse containers shall be collected at least one (1) time per week.
N. Storage Buildings.
1. A storage building shall be provided in each park for inside storage of all equipment and other items used to maintain the park.
O. Water Supply.
1. An adequate supply of pure water for drinking and domestic purposes shall be supplied to all service buildings and to all mobile home spaces within the park to meet the occupancy requirements of the park.
2. Each mobile home space shall be provided with a cold water tap at least four inches (4") above the ground. Said tap shall have a shut-off valve that meets current plumbing code requirements.
P. Fire Protection.
1. Every mobile home park shall be equipped at all times with a sufficient number of fire hydrants spaced throughout the park. The total number of hydrants and location of hydrants shall be subject to the approval of the City Fire Chief, who shall submit his recommendations to the Plan Commission.
2. No open fires shall be permitted at any place within any mobile home park. Campfires shall be permitted in recreational campgrounds.
Q. Sewers and Sewage Disposal.
1. Each mobile home space shall be provided with a sanitary sewer line at least four inches (4") in diameter, which shall be connected to receive the waste from the showers, bathtubs, flush toilets, lavatory and kitchen sinks, and washing machines of the mobile home harbored in such space and having any or all such facilities.
2. The sewer line in each space shall be connected to discharge the mobile home waste into a public sanitary sewer system in compliance with applicable Ordinances, or into a privately owned and operated wastewater treatment plant and disposal system, provided said privately owned system is approved by the administrative agency having charge of approvals of such systems.
R. Responsibilities of Mobile Home Park Residents.
1. Each mobile home park resident shall comply with all applicable requirements of this chapter and shall maintain his or her mobile home site, its facilities, and its equipment in good repair and in a clean and sanitary condition. With the supervision and assistance of the mobile home park operator or his or her designee, each mobile home park resident shall be responsible for the placement of his or her mobile home on the mobile home slab in accordance with this section.
(Ord. 20-29, §2, 9-21-20; Ord. 21-44, §1, 10-4-21)