Chapter 15.08
MANUFACTURED HOMES AND MODULAR HOMES
Sections:
15.08.010 Mobile, manufactured, and modular homes.
15.08.020 Recreational vehicles and park model trailers.
15.08.010 Mobile, manufactured, and modular homes.
A. Definitions.
“Manufactured home” is a single-family dwelling built after June 15, 1976, and according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards Act, which is a national, preemptive building code. “Manufactured home” means a structure designed and constructed to be transportable in one or more sections, and is built on a permanent chassis, and designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities that include plumbing, heating, and electrical systems contained therein. (See also RCW 46.04.302 and 43.22.335.)
“Mobile home” is a factory-built dwelling built prior to June 15, 1976, to standards other than the HUD Code, and acceptable under applicable state codes in effect at the time of construction or introduction of the home into the state. Mobile homes have not been built since the introduction of the HUD Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards Act. A mobile home (pre-June 15, 1976) from outside Adams County cannot be brought into Adams County; however, a mobile home may be moved from one site to another within Adams County if a fire and life safety inspection is first performed and approved by Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.
“Modular home” means a factory-assembled structure designed primarily for use as a dwelling when connected to the required utilities that include plumbing, heating, and electrical systems contained therein, does not contain its own running gear and must be mounted on a permanent foundation. “Modular home” does not include a mobile home or manufactured home.
B. All manufactured, mobile, or modular homes shall meet area-specific snow load requirements. Snow load requirements shall be determined in the same method utilized for stick framed homes by the building official. If the home does not meet the site-specific snow load, a snow roof shelter designed to meet the snow load may be constructed over it. A permit for the snow roof must be issued prior to or concurrent with the permit for the placement of the manufactured, mobile, or modular home. The roof shelter must be completed, and the permit finalized, within ninety days of issuance regardless of the status of the manufactured, mobile, or modular home placement permit.
C. All mobile, manufactured, or modular homes to be located in a flood hazard area shall comply with Chapter 15.16 (Flood Damage and Prevention).
D. All mobile, manufactured, or modular homes located in a wildland urban interface area, as determined by Adams County, shall comply with the provisions of the current adopted International Wildland-Urban Interface Code.
E. All mobile and manufactured homes are state-inspected dwellings and shall be placed on foundation systems that meet the requirements per the manufacturer’s installation instructions or if the manufacturer is not specific, then to the standards listed in WAC Chapter 296-150I. All footings, foundations, skirting, landings, additions, and other external appendages shall be inspected and approved by Adams County prior to occupancy.
F. Mobile and manufactured homes may be placed on stands or blocked in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation instructions and skirted with materials approved for ground contact or below-grade applications. Either of these dwellings placed on a basement shall require engineering. All alterations to a mobile or manufactured home shall require a permit through Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.
1. All modular home footings shall be designed by an engineer and specific to the home.
2. Any additions to a mobile, manufactured, or modular home shall be by separate permit through Adams County. An additional permit may also be required by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. (Ord. O-03-21 § 3)
15.08.020 Recreational vehicles and park model trailers.
A. Definitions.
“Park model trailer” or “recreational park trailer” means a trailer-type unit that is primarily designed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or seasonal use, that meets the following criteria:
1. Built on a single chassis, mounted on wheels.
2. Having a gross trailer area not exceeding four hundred square feet (37.15 square meters) in the set-up mode.
3. “Park model trailer” does not include a modular home, a mobile home, or manufactured home.
“Recreational vehicle” means a vehicular-type unit primarily designed for recreational camping or travel use that has its own motive power or is mounted on or towed by another vehicle. The units include travel trailers, fifth-wheel trailers, folding camping trailers, truck campers, and motor homes. “RV” does not include a park model trailer for purposes of this section. A recreational vehicle is not considered a mobile or manufactured home and is not constructed to the International Building Code standards. A recreational vehicle has an approval insignia from a state licensing authority.
B. A park model trailer may not be placed anywhere within the county, unless it is used as a primary residence and is located in a manufactured/mobile home community as defined in RCW 59.20.030 that was in existence before June 8, 2008. Placement of park model trailers is further restricted in Section 15.16.160.1 Additionally, such placement shall be conditioned upon meeting all the requirements placed upon a mobile and/or manufactured home in the same location.
C. All park model trailers shall meet area specific snow load requirements. Snow load requirements shall be determined in the same method utilized for stick framed homes by the building official. If the park model trailer does not meet the site-specific snow load, a snow roof shelter designed to meet the snow load may be constructed over it. A permit for the snow roof must be issued prior to or concurrent with the permit for the placement of the park model trailer. The roof shelter must be completed, and the permit finalized within ninety days of issuance regardless of the status of the park model trailer placement permit.
D. All park model trailers located in a wildland urban interface area, as determined by Adams County, shall comply with the provisions of the current adopted International Wildland-Urban Interface Code.
E. All park model trailers are state-inspected dwellings and shall be placed on foundation systems that meet the requirements per the manufacturer’s installation instructions or if the manufacturer is not specific, then to the standards listed in WAC Chapter 296-150P. All footings, foundations, skirting, landings, additions, and other external appendages shall be inspected and approved by Adams County prior to occupancy.
F. A park model trailer may be placed on stands or blocked, in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation instructions, and skirted with materials approved for ground contact or below-grade applications. Otherwise, the park model must be placed on a basement or poured concrete foundation and such placement shall require engineering. Alterations to a park model trailer are prohibited.
G. Additions to park model trailers are prohibited.
H. An RV may not be used as a residence, except if it is a primary residence and is located in a manufactured/mobile home community as defined in RCW 59.20.030 that was in existence before June 8, 2008. Such placement shall be conditioned upon meeting all the requirements placed upon a park model, mobile, and/or manufactured home in the same location.
I. Except as provided in Title 17, unless an RV is being used as a primary residence pursuant to subsection H of this section, an RV may be used for no more than four weeks out of any six weeks and shall be fully licensed and ready for highway use at all times. An RV must be disconnected from utilities during the weeks that it is not in use.
J. A park model trailer must be connected to government-approved utilities during use. (Ord. O-03-21 § 3)
Code reviser’s note: Ord. O-03-21 originally showed this reference as “15.16. and 15.16.160.” The reference has been changed by the city.