The Mobile Home Park (MHP) District and the Mobile Home Subdivision (MHS) District are established for the purpose of providing residential environments within the City for the accommodation of Mobile Homes and Modular Housing Units (as defined in Chapter 135D, Code of Iowa) within a Mobile Home Park under one ownership, or within a Mobile Home Subdivision under multiple ownership. It is the intent of this Zoning Regulation that the Mobile Home Park Districts be located only in areas that would not adversely affect the established residential subdivisions and residential densities in the City.
1. Permitted Uses in the MHP District. The following uses and structures, and no others, are permitted in the MHP District.
A. Mobile home parks (as defined in Chapter 71, Code of Iowa)
B. Recreation and service facilities (e.g. club house, swimming pool, Laundromat, etc.) for the occupants of a park
C. Day care centers
D. Accessory structures such as garages, carports, greenhouses, and similar structures which are customarily used in conjunction with incidental to a principle use or structure
2. Permitted Uses in the MHS District. The following uses and structures, and no others, are permitted in the MHS District.
A. Mobile home subdivisions
B. Mobile homes on permanent foundations and used by one family
C. Public parks and playgrounds and community recreation buildings
D. Day care centers
E. Accessory structures such as garages, carports, greenhouses, similar structures which are customarily used in conjunction with/and incidental to a principle use or structure
3. General Requirements.
A. Parking of trailer homes/or mobile homes.
(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), it is unlawful for any person to park and reside in any trailer, trailer home, or mobile home on any street, alley, highway or other public place, or on any tract of land whether owned by the person himself or by others, within the city limits of the City.
(2) Emergency or temporary stopping or parking, not exceeding one hour at any one time, if permitted by traffic regulations and other ordinances of the City, shall be allowed.
(3) No person shall park or occupy any mobile home or trailer home outside a duly authorized mobile home park, trailer home park, or mobile home subdivision.
(4) Within the corporate limits of the City of Osceola, a mobile home may be permitted in an approved mobile home park or in an approved mobile home subdivision only.
(5) A mobile home may be permitted by the City Council or their designated agent, after public hearing, for purposes of temporary relief from a local disaster such as fire, wind, or flood damage, provided such mobile shall be removed from the premises within six months of its original placement.
(6) Hauling trailers, as defined herein, may be stored, rented, etc., in a District B or I inclusive. Hauling trailers, customarily towed behind passenger cars, and not exceeding eight feet of box length, may also be kept or stored, on the basis of one per family, in private garages, or in the side or rear yard of private homes in conformance with zoning ordinances and all other applicable codes and ordinances of the City of Osceola.
(7) All mobile homes built in conformance with the requirements of Iowa Administrative Code, Chapter 16, Section 680, may be located within the City of Osceola, but only within an established mobile home park or mobile home subdivision.
B. License Required.
(1) It is unlawful for any person to establish, operate, maintain, or permit to be established, operated or maintained upon any property owned or controlled by him, a mobile home park or trailer home park within the City limits, without having first secured a license to do so, granted and existing in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
(2) The application for an annual license to operate and maintain a mobile home park shall be in writing and on such form as required by state law and by regulation of the Health Department. An application for an annual license shall be accompanied by the payment of the license fees as required by state law.
(3) A copy of the application to the State Health Department shall be delivered to the Office of the City Clerk who shall in turn advise the Planning and Zoning Commission. The Planning and Zoning Commission shall recommend approval or disapproval to the City Council. The City Council shall certify that such mobile home park does or does not comply with City Ordinances, Codes, and other applicable regulatory measures. If the application is not so approved or certified, the applicant may, within 30 days thereafter appeal from the decision of the City Council to the Health Department.
C. Structure Quality; Anchorage of Mobile Homes.
(1) Structural quality alterations, additions, and anchorage of mobile homes and house trailers which are affected by provisions herein, within, without, or to a park and facilities, shall be made only after application to the Zoning Administrator and in conformity with all the sections of this section.
(2) No mobile home shall be permitted to be moved into the corporate area of the City of Osceola, except in a Mobile Home Park or Mobile Home subdivision, for purposes of sale by an established and licensed retail dealer until a building permit has been issued for its location in a specified Mobile Home Subdivision or other approved location in compliance with this and other applicable ordinances of the City. In the event that all standards, codes, and ordinances are complied with, the applicant shall be issued a building permit and the mobile home shall be established in accordance therewith within six months, or the permit shall be invalid.
(3) No additions of any kind shall be built onto or become a part of any mobile home or house trailer except in accordance with the written approval of the City Council. Skirting of coaches is required and shall be constructed from fire resistant materials.
(4) Every mobile home or house trailer controlled by this regulation shall be anchored to the ground as required by the Iowa Administrative Code, Chapter 16, Section 680.
(5) Over-the-top tie down straps shall be required on all mobile homes. Anchors and tie down straps required are based on mobile home length:
Number of Anchors and Straps Per Side
Vertical | Diagonal | Length |
2 | 2 | 30 feet |
2 | 3 | 40 feet |
2 | 3 | 56 feet |
3 | 5 | 66 feet |
(6) Every mobile home or house trailer controlled by this regulation shall be blocked as required by Iowa Administrative Code, Chapter 16, Section 680.
4. Development Standards for Mobile Home Parks.
A. Size of Park. The size of park shall not be less than five acres with a minimum frontage of 300 feet.
B. Access. A mobile home park shall have access to arterial or major collector streets and mobile home space shall have direct access to a local residential public street.
C. Gross Density. Gross density of a mobile home park shall not exceed eight mobile home spaces per acre, including streets, sidewalks, recreation area, boat and trailer storage areas, etc.
D. Mobile Home Spaces. Each mobile home park shall clearly define the spaces and such spaces shall not have an area less than 3,600 square feet. Spaces shall have a minimum of 45 foot frontage and 80 foot depth.
E. Setbacks. Mobile homes shall be so located on each space that there shall be clearance between mobile homes; provided, however, that with respect of mobile homes parked end-to-end, the end-to-end clearance may not be less than 20 feet. No mobile home shall be located closer than 20 feet to any building or mobile home within the park or to any property line of the park which does not abut upon a public street or highway. No mobile home shall be located closer to any property line of the park abutting upon a public street or highway than 25 feet or such other distance as may be established by ordinance or regulation as a front yard or setback requirement with respect to conventional buildings in the district in which the mobile home park is located.
F. Circulation. The interior circulation and access driveways to public streets shall be so designed as to promote the public safety.
G. Recreation Space. There shall be provided one or more recreational areas that are equipped with suitable play equipment and other recreational facilities. There shall be provided at least 400 square feet of developed area per mobile home space.
H. Supervision. There shall be provided an area near the main entrance of the park as an area with suitable off-street parking for office and management use only. The licensee or permittee, or a duly authorized attendant or caretaker, shall be in charge at all times to keep the mobile home park, its facilities, and equipment in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition. The attendant or caretaker shall be answerable, with the licensee or permittee, for the violation of any provisions of this ordinance to which the licensee or permittee is subject. Moreover, mobile home park operators shall submit to the County Assessor each January 1, a list of all mobile homes on their land, including make, model, year, length and width.
I. Boat and Trailer Storage. Each mobile home park shall provide a screened area for the storage of boats and travel, horse, or utility trailers, with an aggregate size of at least 350 square feet per trailer space.
J. Electrical Supply. An underground electrical service supplying at least 120/240 volts - 100 amperes electrical service from a centrally located power supply shall be provided each mobile home space by the mobile home park operator.
K. Facilities. Adequate provisions shall be made for public water supply, sanitary sewers, fire protection, and other necessary facilities to satisfy and comply with State and Local Codes, Ordinances, Specifications, and Statutes. Each mobile home drain inlet shall be provided with an effective trap not less than three inches in diameter for inlets designed to receive the discharge of mobile home drainage and each mobile home drain line shall be equipped with a clean out which shall be outside of the perimeter covered by the mobile home and which shall clean toward the main sewer.
L. Refuse Collection. The mobile home park shall provide refuse containers to each mobile home site, in quantities adequate to permit disposal of all garbage and rubbish. The containers shall be watertight with suitable handles, 32 gallons or less in size, and not weigh over 100 pounds when full. Garbage and rubbish shall be collected and disposed of as frequently as may be necessary to insure that the garbage cans shall not overflow. Central containers set in a screened area may be allowed.
M. Drainage. The park shall be properly drained to insure rapid run-off and free from stagnant pools of water.
N. Natural Features. The design of the park shall preserve natural features such as large trees, outcroppings, etc., when feasible.
O. Nonconforming Mobile Home Parks. Existing mobile home parks and/or trailer home parks that do not conform with these regulations and special conditions shall be considered as nonconforming and shall be allowed to continue operation. However, no nonconforming mobile home park shall be expanded, enlarged, or extended in any way. If a nonconforming mobile home park is discontinued or its normal operation stopped for more than 12 months, the use of the land shall thereafter conform to a use permitted in the zone in which it is located.
P. Management. Each mobile home park shall be operated in a sanitary, orderly, and efficient manner, and shall maintain a neat appearance at all times. No damaged or deteriorated mobile homes shall be permitted to remain, and suitable and effective rules for regulating the outside storage of equipment, the removal of wheels and installation of skirting, the collection of trash and garbage, and the attachment of appurtenances to the mobile homes shall be continually enforced. All drives, playground areas and equipment, lawn and trees, and any recreation or accessory buildings shall be maintained at a level at least equal to the average residential neighborhood in the City. All portions of the mobile home park shall be open and accessible to fire, police, and other emergency and protective vehicles and personnel, including City, County and State Inspectors.
5. Development Standards for Mobile Home Subdivisions. Mobile Home Subdivisions shall be developed utilizing the standards prescribed in the Subdivision Regulations and the Mobile Home Park Requirements and the following:
A. Shall not be less than five acres in size.
B. Shall not be part of an existing subdivision in which any lots have been sold.
C. The plat of the Mobile Home Subdivision shall be prepared in the same manner as required for other residential development plats in accordance with City Regulations.
D. Shall contain mobile or modular homes with a minimum of 685 square feet of living area. All mobile homes shall be set on approved permanent foundations.
E. All streets and street rights-of-way shall be designed and constructed to City standards with the exception of 50 foot right-of-way and curb sidewalks.
F. Adequate provisions shall be made for public water supply, sanitary sewers, fire protection, and other necessary facilities to satisfy and comply with State and Local Codes, Ordinances, Specifications and Statutes. Each mobile home drain inlet shall be provided with an effective trap not less than three inches in diameter for inlets designed to receive the discharge of mobile home drainage and each mobile home drain line shall be equipped with a clean out which shall be outside of the perimeter covered by the mobile home and which shall clean toward the main sewer.
G. Minimum lot size shall be 5,000 square feet.
H. Setback Requirements:
(1) Front Yard - 25 feet
(2) Side Yard - 10 feet
(3) Rear Yard - 10 feet
I. All mobile homes shall be located at least 25 feet from any property line adjoining the Mobile Home Subdivision.
J. Lots on the periphery of the subdivisions must front toward the interior of the subdivision. No residential lot in a Mobile Home Subdivision may front a street where the opposite side of the street is in a different zone.
6. Sign Requirements. A non-illuminated announcement sign or bulletin board not to exceed 18 square feet in area with a setback of 20 feet from any right-of-way or any public or private highway, street or road is permissible.
7. Parking Requirements.
A. There shall be provided at least two off-street parking spaces to be located on the mobile home space or within 200 feet of the mobile home space.
B. There shall be provided one and one-half visitors’ off-street parking spaces for every five mobile homes. Visitor parking spaces shall be located within convenient walking distances to home spaces.
8. Landscape Requirements.
A. Where the boundary of a MHP or MHS abuts a public street, there shall be provided a 20-foot wide landscaped buffer. This buffer shall consist of a six-foot high opaque screen to be adequately maintained.
B. Where the boundary of a MHP or MHS abuts any R District there shall be provided a 10-foot wide landscaped buffer. This buffer shall consist of a six-foot high opaque screen to be adequately maintained.
9. Lighting Requirements. All lighting used to illuminate the MHP or MHS shall be so shielded or otherwise optically controlled so as to provide glare-less illumination in such a manner as not to create nuisance to adjacent R Districts.
10. Site Plan Requirements. See Section 167.01.