SECTION I. DEFINITIONS.
(a) "Approval" means written approval permitting the site placement, construction, alteration and extension of a mobile home park as presented to and approved by the Planning Commission and Council.
(b) "Common-use area" means any area reserved for use by any and all occupants of the mobile home park or development within which such common-use area is contained.
(c) "Health Officer" means the State Director of Health or the executive officer of the local Board of Health or his duly authorized representative.
(d) "Management building" means a building or structure used for supplying essential goods or services for the use of mobile home park occupants.
(e) "Mobile home" means a moveable or portable unit designed and constructed to be towed on its own chassis (comprised of frame and wheels), and designed to be connected to utilities for year-round occupancy. The term includes:
(1) Units containing parts that may be folded, collapsed, or telescoped when being towed and that may be expanded to provide additional cubic capacity;
and
(2) Units composed two or more separately towable components designed to be joined into one integral unit capable of being separated again into the components for repeated towing. The term includes units designed to be used for residential, commercial, educational or industrial purposes, excluding however, recreational vehicles as defined in this article.
(f) "Mobile home lots" means a parcel of land within a mobile home park designated for the placement of a single mobile home and for the exclusive use of its occupants and guests.
(g) "Mobile home park" means any site, area, tract or parcel of land upon which ten or more mobile homes used or occupied for dwelling purposes are parked either free of charge or for monetary consideration and shall include any roadway, building structure, installation or enclosure used or intended for use as a part of the facilities of the mobile home park.
(h) "Mobile home stand" means that part of a mobile home lot which has been reserved for the placement of the mobile home, appurtenant structures or additions.
(i) "Occupant" means a person utilizing a mobile home or a mobile home park as a place of abode.
(j) "Operator" means a person who is in charge of the operation of a mobile home park, or who allows a lot, site, area, tract or parcel of land to be used for the parking or occupancy of three or more mobile homes.
(k) "Permit" means a written document issued by the Mayor as directed on approval of Council, giving a person permission to construct, install, alter, remodel, extend or operate a specific mobile home park.
(l) "Person" means an individual, partnership, association, syndicate, company, firm, trust, corporation, government corporation, institution, department, division, bureau, agency or any entity recognized by law.
(m) "Recreational vehicle" means a vehicular, portable structure built on a chassis and primarily designed to be used for temporary occupancy for travel, recreational or vacation use. No travel trailer or recreational vehicle shall be used for permanent occupancy.
(n) "Right of way" means a path or thoroughfare designated for passage of vehicular traffic.
(o) "Sewer connection" means the connection consisting of all pipes, fittings, and appurtenances from the waste drain outlet of a mobile home to the inlet pipe of the corresponding sewer riser pipe of the sewer system serving a mobile home park.
(p) "Sewer riser pipe" means the portion of the sewer system which extends vertically above the ground elevation and terminates at a designated point at each mobile home lot.
(q) "Sewer system" means a system of sewers and appurtenances for the collection, transportation and treatment of sewage, and operated as a community project by a governmental agency, community residents or as a commercial enterprise.
(r) "Site plan" means complete engineering plans and specifications for the park showing:
(1) The area and dimensions of the tract of land;
(2) The number, location and size of all proposed mobile home lots;
(3) General topography of the site;
(4) The location and width of roadways and walkways and type of materials to be used;
(5) The location of service building and other proposed structures;
(6) The location of water and sewer lines and riser pipes;
(7) Plans and specifications of the water supply and refuse and sewage disposal facilities (as presented to the health authority);
(8) The location and details of lighting and electrical systems;
(9) Plans and specifications for landscaping, buffering and screening plantings.
(s) "Skirting or enclosure" means a translucent or opaque durable, weatherproof material (metal, vinyl or wood) used to conceal the undercarriage from the bottom of the mobile home siding to ground level.
(t) "State Director of Health" means the administrative head and chief executive officer of the State Department of Health or his duly authorized representative.
(u) "Water connection" means the connection consisting of all pipes, fittings, and appurtenances from the water connection inlet of a mobile home to the outlet pipe of the corresponding water riser pipe of the water distribution system serving a mobile home park.
(v) "Water riser pipe" means that portion of the water supply system serving a mobile home park and which extends vertically above the ground elevation and terminates at a designated point at each mobile home lot.
(w) "Water supply system" means a system of pipes, appurtenances and equipment for the collection, treatment, storage or distribution of the water from the source to the ultimate consumer.
The design, construction, installation. maintenance and operation of mobile home parks shall comply with all applicable provisions of these regulations and the standards and engineering practices which are approved and acceptable to Council.
SECTION III. INSPECTION.
(a) Each mobile home park shall be inspected at least once every six months, such inspection to be conducted by the City Building Inspector or his designated representative. Additional inspections of the mobile home park as deemed necessary to determine satisfactory compliance with the provisions of these regulations and any orders, notices, instructions or specifications issued pursuant thereto.
(b) Any consecutive violation of the same item, or items, of these regulations may be considered as just cause for the immediate suspension of a permit to operate.
(c) A copy of the inspection report shall be filed with the mobile home park operator.
(d) The owner or operator of a mobile home park, or the person in charge thereof shall provide authorized representatives of the City with free access to such premises for the purpose of inspection, and shall furnish all information and records necessary to make the inspection complete.
SECTION IV. LOCATION, SPACE AND LAYOUT.
(a) General Requirements.
(1) All mobile home parks shall be located so as not to be exposed to swamps or marshes or to objectionable smoke, noxious odors, objectionable noise, sudden flooding, erosion, or other adverse influences which may expose persons or property to health or safety hazards.
(2) Ground and paved surfaces in all parts of mobile home parks shall be graded and equipped to drain all surface water in a safe and efficient manner.
(3) Landscaping by means of trees, shrubs and other ornamental plantings for site beautification, buffer zones between common-use areas and mobile home lots, and screening of park area from surrounding properties shall be provided.
(4) Exposed ground surfaces in mobile home parks shall be covered with stone, screenings, other solid material or protected with a vegetative growth that is capable of preventing soil erosion.
(5) No part of a mobile home park shall be used for nonresidential purposes except for such uses that are required for the direct servicing and well- being of the mobile home park occupants and for the maintenance and management of the mobile home park.
(6) Nothing contained in these regulations shall be construed as prohibiting the sale of a mobile home located on a mobile home stand and connected to pertinent facilities. Mobile home or mobile home lots shall under no circumstances be subleased.
(7) The area of a mobile home park shall be large enough to accommodate:
A. The designated number of mobile home lots;
B. All necessary streets and walkways;
C. Parking areas for motor vehicles;
D. Management buildings, where applicable, and other buildings or structures used for, or intended to be used for, the servicing, maintenance or management of a mobile home park;
E. Recreational areas, where applicable;
F. Water supply systems and sewage treatment systems, where applicable.
(b) Space Requirements.
(1) Mobile homes including their porches, canopies, and similar appurtenances, shall be separated from other mobile homes and from other buildings and structures by at least fifteen feet.
(2) There shall be a minimum ratio between mobile home unit floor space and the mobile home space or lot of one to four, but total area not less than 5,000 square feet.
(3) The boundary lines of each mobile home lot shall be clearly marked on the ground by permanent flush stakes, markers or other suitable means.
(4) No occupied mobile home shall be permitted in a mobile home park unless such mobile home is situated on a mobile home stand.
(5) All mobile homes shall be located at least fifteen feet from any mobile home park property boundary line abutting upon a public street or highway and at least ten feet from other park property lines.
(6) There shall be at least ten feet of space between a mobile home and any mobile home park street, common parking area or other common-use area.
(c) Mobile Home Stands.
(1) Mobile home stands shall be so constructed as to prevent heaving, shifting or uneven settling under the weight of the mobile home due to frost action, drainage, vibration, or forces acting on the superstructure of the mobile home. The stand shall be sufficient in area to accommodate the mobile home and any attached structure and shall be constructed of not less than six inches depth, and not less than twenty-four inches width of concrete strips.
(2) A mobile home shall not be occupied for dwelling purposes unless it is properly placed on an approved mobile home stand and is properly connected to water, sewage and other essential utilities.
(d) Street, Roads and Walkways.
(1) All mobile home parks shall be provided with safe and easily accessible vehicular access to an abutting public street or road. Alignment and gradient shall be properly adapted to topography. Where topography exceeds an average of seven percent (7%) grade, curbs and/or gutters will be provided so as to control roadway water run-off.
(2) Access to mobile home parks shall be designed to minimize congestion and hazards at the entrance or exit and allow free movement of traffic on adjacent streets and roads.
(3) The mobile home park streets and roadways shall be subject to all of the applicable requirements of the City. Minimum street width is twenty-six feet with four inch curbing on each side of such street. A paved sidewalk of four feet minimum shall be provided on at least one side. The owner/ operator is responsible for maintenance and upkeep of streets and roadways within the mobile home park.
(4) All mobile home parks shall be provided with a safe, accessible, durable, all-weather surfaced walkway from the individual mobile home to the mobile home park street or road and between locations where pedestrian traffic is concentrated. Sudden changes in alignment and gradient shall be avoided.
(5) Off-street parking area shall be provided in all mobile home parks for the use of the mobile home park occupants and their guests. Parking area for motor vehicles shall be provided at a minimum ratio of two parking slots per mobile home stand to be surfaced with material comparable to roadway surface. Additional parking facilities are encouraged. Parking may be in tandem. Vehicular parking shall take place only in those areas designated as such in the site plan approved by the Planning Commission.
(6) All mobile home parks shall be furnished with lighting units so spaced and equipped with luminaries as will provide and maintain sufficient levels of illumination for the safe movement of pedestrians and vehicles at night.
SECTION V. WATER SUPPLY.
(a) General Requirements.
(1) All mobile home parks shall be provided with an easily accessible, safe, potable supply of water approved by the State Department of Health.
(2) Underground stop and waste valves are prohibited for use on any water line.
(b) Individual Water-Riser Pipes and Connections.
(1) Each mobile home stand shall be served by a three-fourths inch diameter or larger water riser pipe extending vertically at least four inches above ground elevation.
(2) Water riser pipe outlets shall be securely capped when a mobile home does not occupy the mobile home stand.
SECTION VI. SEWAGE SYSTEM.
(a) Individual Sewer Connections.
(1) Each mobile home stand shall be provided with a sewer riser pipe having a minimum diameter of four inches and extending at least four inches above the ground.
(2) The sewer riser pipe shall be located within the confines of the mobile home stand, and so located that the sewer connection to the mobile home sewer outlet will approximate a vertical position.
(3) The sewer connection at the riser pipe shall consist of one pipe line only without any branch fittings. All joints shall be watertight.
(4) All materials used for sewer piping and sewer connections shall be durable, semi-rigid, corrosive resistant and nonabsorbent.
(5) Approved fittings shall be provided for the connection between the mobile home park sewer riser pipe and the mobile home sewer outlet, and shall be made water and odor tight by the use of approved reinforced, durable, impervious, semi-rigid or flexible piping having smooth interior surface not less than three inches internal diameter.
(6) The piping used for sewer connections shall be gas tight and no longer than necessary to make the connection between the mobile home sewer outlet and the mobile home park sewer riser pipe.
(7) Sewer riser pipes at unoccupied mobile home stands shall be tightly plugged or capped in such manner as to render them watertight.
(8) It shall be the duty of the mobile home park operator to keep all occupied mobile homes properly connected to the sewer riser pipes while such mobile homes are in the mobile home park, and to see that all unoccupied mobile home stand sewer riser pipes are plugged or capped in an approved manner.
SECTION VII. ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.
All mobile home park electrical distribution systems shall be installed and maintained in accordance with all applicable State and local electrical laws, regulations, ordinances and codes.
SECTION VIII. SOLID WASTE HANDLING.
Solid waste shall be collected at least one time per week. Where approved collection service is not available from municipal or private agencies, the mobile home park operator shall provide this service.
SECTION IX. INSECT AND RODENT CONTROL.
Grounds, buildings and structures shall be maintained free of insect breeding areas, rodent harborage and infestation of insects or rodents of public health significance.
SECTION X. FUEL SUPPLY AND STORAGE.
(a) The fuel distribution system, equipment, installations, and storage facilities shall be designed, constructed, installed, operated and maintained in accordance with all applicable State and local laws, regulations, ordinances and codes, the applicable provisions of these regulations and with the plans, specifications and instructions issued by the State Department of Health.
(b) Natural Gas Systems.
(1) Gas lines shall not be installed under any mobile home, provided that this section shall not preclude the installation of an individual gas service line that serves a particular mobile home.
(2) All mobile home lot gas outlets shall be equipped with an approved cap or plug to prevent discharge of gas when the outlet is not in use.
(3) All gas outlet risers, regulators, motors, valves, or other exposed equipment shall be protected from mechanical damage by vehicles or other causes.
(c) Liquefied Petroleum Gas Systems.
(1) LPG systems shall have at least one approved, identified and readily accessible means of shutting off the entire supply. Such means shall be located outside the mobile home and shall be maintained in an effective operating condition.
(2) All LPG piping outside the mobile home shall be well supported and protected against mechanical injury.
(3) Undiluted LPG in liquid form shall not be conveyed through any piping equipment or fuel system within a mobile home.
(4) LPG containers shall be securely, but not permanently fastened to prevent accidental overturning. Valves and connectors shall be listed standard fittings and maintained so as to prevent leaks.
(5) LPG containers shall not be located within or beneath any mobile home, building or any other type of enclosed structure.
(6) LPG containers shall not be located within five feet of a doorway of a mobile home, building or similar structure.
(d) Fuel Oil System.
(1) All piping from outside fuel oil storage containers shall be properly installed and securely fastened in place.
(2) Fuel oil storage containers shall not be located beneath or within a mobile home, building or any type of enclosed structure.
(3) Fuel oil connectors from the storage container to the mobile home shall be of brass or copper tubing or approved flexible metal hose not smaller than three-eighths inches in diameter and shall be protected from possible physical damage. The use of aluminum tubing or piping is prohibited.
(4) Valves and connectors shall be listed standard installed and maintained liquid tight to prevent leaking of fuel oil.
(5) Fuel oil storage containers shall be vented by means of a metal pipe of at least one-fourth inch in diameter and so designed and installed as to prevent the entrance of rain, dust, dirt and debris.
(6) An approved, identified and readily accessible shut-off valve shall be installed in the supply line between the fuel oil storage container and the mobile home.
(7) Fuel oil storage containers shall not be located within five feet of a doorway of a mobile home, building or similar structure.
SECTION XI. FIRE PROTECTION.
Access to a mobile home for fire protection services shall be such as to permit fire apparatus to approach within 100 feet of each mobile home.
SECTION XII. SUPERVISION.
The person to whom a permit to operate a mobile home park is issued shall operate the mobile home park in compliance with all applicable provisions of these regulations, all other laws and regulations applicable thereto, and shall provide supervision to maintain the mobile home park and its facilities and equipment in good repair and in a clean and sanitary condition.
SECTION XIII. MISCELLANEOUS REQUIREMENTS.
(a) The operator of the mobile home park shall notify the mobile home park occupants of all applicable provisions of these regulations and inform them of their duties and responsibilities under these regulations.
(b) The mobile home park operator shall provide qualified supervision of the placement of each mobile home on its mobile home stand, including securing its stability and installing all utility connections.
(c) Skirting, porches, awnings and other appurtenances or additions shall be properly constructed, installed and maintained. Skirting or enclosure of the mobile home undercarriage (underpinning) shall be provided to completely conceal such undercarriage and shall be provided within sixty days of placement in an approved park or development.
(d) The space beneath a mobile home shall be used for storage only if permitted by the mobile park operator. If permitted, the following conditions shall be satisfied:
(1) The storage area shall be provided with a base of impervious material.
(2) Stored items shall be so located as not to interfere with the inspection of the space beneath the mobile home, nor to create an unsanitary or unsightly condition.
(e) Accommodation by a structurally sound and safe means of entrance and egress shall be provided at one doorway of the mobile home unit. Handrails are encouraged.
SECTION XIV. SEVERABILITY.
If any provisions of this article shall be held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the remaining provisions which can be given effect without the invalid provisions, it being the intention that all of such provisions and sections hereof are severable.
SECTION XV. PENALTY.
(a) Any person who violates any provision of these regulations shall, upon conviction be punished by a fine of no more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) or by imprisonment of not more than ten days, or both.
(b) Each day's failure to comply with any applicable provision of these regulations shall constitute a separate offense.
(c) Should a person be charged with violations by two enforcing agencies concerning similar or identical regulations, the charge of the higher agency shall prevail and the charge of the other enforcing agency shall be dismissed.