Chapter 15.22
Mobile Home Parks
Sections:
15.22.030 Criteria for locating mobile home parks.
15.22.040 General use regulations.
15.22.050 Mobile home park site requirements.
15.22.070 Off-street parking facilities.
15.22.090 Utilities and sanitation.
15.22.120 Buffer, ground cover and recreation area.
15.22.140 Mobile home accessories.
15.22.160 Requirements for approval of mobile home park permit.
15.22.170 Administration, enforcement, and penalties.
15.22.010 Chapter purpose.
(1) Purpose of Chapter. Regulations to insure a suitable living environment for owners of mobile homes are adopted and established as necessary for the general health, safety, welfare and convenience of the inhabitants of the city of Montesano. Standards and regulations established in this chapter shall be construed in such a manner as to insure that the mobile home parks authorized by this chapter are established in such a manner as to be properly integrated into the area surrounding their location and to not impose unreasonable burdens or create unreasonable hazards in terms of public use, public facilities, or the public health, safety and welfare.
(2) Name of Chapter. This chapter shall be known and may be cited as "The Mobile Home Park Ordinance." (Ord. 1087 §1, 1978: Ord. 915 §1, 1971).
15.22.020 Definitions.1
As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the meaning ascribed in this section:
(1) "Access" means the means or way by which pedestrians or vehicles have entrance to and exit from a property.
(2) "Accessory structure or use" means a structure or use incidental, appropriate, and subordinate to the main use of the property and located on the same mobile home lot or in the mobile home itself; provided, that a carport, as defined by subsection (4) of this section shall not be so deemed.
(3) "Awning" means a permanent structure created for shade or shelter which is completely open on at least two sides. Awning does not include a window awning. An awning shall be an accessory to a mobile home and shall be designed and shall be constructed with adequate materials and in such a manner as to withstand a thirty-pound-per-square-foot load on the roof.
(4) "Carport" means an accessory building or portion of a main building used or designed to be used as a covered shelter for an automobile and open on one or more sides.
(5) "Mobile home" means a dwelling unit possessing the characteristics of the dwelling unit as defined in Section 17.08.390, M.M.C., as now existing or hereafter amended.
(6) "Mobile home lot" means that area within the mobile home park that is designated for the private use of the occupants of the lot.
(7) "Mobile home lot area" means the total horizontal land area within a mobile home lot exclusive of the following: public and private roads and easements of vehicular access to other property.
(8) "Mobile home pad" means a ground area large enough to cover the entire underneath portion of each parked mobile home that is provided with gravel or hard surfacing.
(9) "Mobile home park" means a lot, parcel, or tract of land, improved or unimproved, upon which two or more mobile homes are occupied for dwelling and sleeping purposes.
(10) "Recreational facilities" include, but are not limited to, park, playground, gymnasium, swimming pool, boat ramp, and/or launching site, bicycle bridle path, or any other facility, the primary function of which is to make available recreational facilities to all inhabitants of the park.
(11) "Recreational vehicle" means a vehicular type unit primarily designed as temporary living quarters for recreational camping, or travel use with or without motive power, of such size and weight as not to require a special highway movement permit and certified as approved as such by the Department of Labor and Industries as evidenced by the attachment of its official "green" seal.
(12) "Recreational vehicle storage area" means a surfaced area enclosed by a six-foot fence provided for the storage of recreational vehicles. All recreational vehicle storage within the mobile home park shall occur in this designated area.
(13) "Service building" means a building for the purpose of housing community facilities, including but not limited to toilet facilities, bathing facilities, and laundry facilities, or any combination thereof.
(14) "Utility building" means an accessory structure intended for the storage of typical outdoor equipment incident to the occupants of the mobile home, i.e., lawn mower, lawn chairs, barbecue, etc. Utility buildings are limited to one per mobile home lot. (Ord. 1300 §1, 1990: Ord. 1094A, 1978; Ord. 1087 §2, 1978).
15.22.030 Criteria for locating mobile home parks.
(1) Access. A mobile home park containing more than four mobile home lots shall have at least one interior road having direct access to either a primary or a secondary arterial having a minimum right-of-way width of sixty feet. If located on a secondary arterial, the park, regardless of the number of lots contained therein, shall not be more than one-half road mile from a primary arterial, as the street may, from time to time, be designated.
(2) Compliance with Land Use Development Patterns. The mobile home park shall comply with applicable land use regulations. (Ord. 1087 §3, 1978: Ord. 913 §3, 1971).
15.22.040 General use regulations.
(1) Length of Residential Occupancy. No space shall commonly be rented in a mobile home park for a period of less than thirty days.
(2) Equipment Standards. No mobile home shall be admitted to any park or occupied for dwelling purposes unless it meets the current requirements of the State Department of Labor and Industries and of the city of Montesano in relation to mobile homes, nor shall any mobile home be occupied in a mobile home park which does not meet all such requirements as well as those established by the Washington State Department of Social "and Health Services mobile home park regulations; provided, further, that all mobile homes shall have at least two entrances.
(3) Occupancy Restrictions. A mobile home shall not be occupied for dwelling purposes unless it is properly placed on a mobile home pad and connected to water, sewage and electrical utilities.
(4) Mobile home parks may be permitted in all zones upon the granting of a mobile home park permit. (Ord. 1087 §4, 1978: Ord. 915 §4, 1971).
15.22.050 Mobile home park site requirements.
(1) Size of Mobile Home Park. No mobile home park shall be developed on any tract of land less than ten acres in size.
(2) Size of Mobile Home Lots. The minimum size of a mobile home lot shall be four thousand square feet for any mobile home fourteen feet wide or less and five thousand square feet for any mobile home over fourteen feet wide. The minimum width of a mobile home lot shall be forty feet for the former and fifty feet for the latter sized mobile home, exclusive of roads, streets, and other public or common areas. The lot boundaries shall be plainly marked by corner stakes, fencing, shrubbery, or other means. A mobile home shall not occupy more than one-third of its lot, and the mobile home and its accessory structures, including but not limited to awnings, carport and utility building, shall not cover more than sixty percent of its lot. There shall be no variances or exceptions from the provisions of this subsection.
(3) Spacing of Mobile Homes. Mobile homes shall be separated from each other by at least sixteen feet. There shall be a minimum distance of at least five feet between a mobile home and an unattached accessory structure located upon the same lot. There shall be a distance of no less than five feet between a mobile home and an accessory structure, whether attached or unattached, located on another lot and utilized in conjunction with the use of another mobile home.
(4) Setback of Mobile Homes:
(A) All mobile homes shall be located with a minimum of twenty-five feet setback from any park property boundary line.
(B) There shall be a minimum distance of ten feet between an individual mobile home and an adjoining park street.
(C) There shall be a minimum distance of five feet between a mobile home and a mobile home side lot line. (Ord. 1087 §5, 1978: Ord. 915 §5, 1971).
15.22.060 Street s stems.
(1) General Requirements. All mobile home parks shall be provided with safe and convenient vehicular access from adjoining public streets or highways. Each mobile home lot shall be accessible to interior streets and to commonly-used park facilities. The alignment and gradient of all park streets and access roads shall be properly adapted to local topographic conditions, and shall facilitate satisfactory control of surface and ground water.
(2) There shall be such common exit roads which are accessible to all mobile home lots as may be established by the city engineer after a review of the park proposal. The engineer shall take into consideration all relevant elements, including but not limited to the size of the park, the number of lots within the park, the streets onto which the park adjoins, and the character and nature of the intended occupancy.
(3) Primary Park Access road. The intersecion of the primary park access roads and the adjoining public right-of-way shall conform to all applicable standards regarding width, alignment, sight distance, and construction.
(4) Internal access roads shall meet the following requirements:
(A) Internal access roads shall be privately owned and constructed and shall be privately maintained free of cracks, holes and other hazards; provided, that roads which are located such that they could be or should be an integral part of the overall circulation pattern may be required to be constructed and dedicated as public roads. The city council may also require either construction of additional public roads or reservation of right-of-way for future roads when necessary to provide adequate circulation.
(B) All roads shall be adequately lighted at night.
(C) The minimum paved width of an entrance road shall have a minimum width of thirty-six feet; provided, that the layout and general development plan for major and minor access driveways within the mobile home park, together with the location and dimension of the access junctions with public street right-of-way, shall be approved by the city council or its designee.
(i) All interior roads shall have a minimum width of thirty feet, with parking permitted on one side only.
(ii) A road designed to have one end permanently closed or in the form of a cul-de-sac shall be provided at the closed end with a turnaround having a minimum right-of-way of not less than one hundred feet or with a "T" permitting comparable ease of turning, as approved by the city engineer.
(iii) All public roads in a mobile home park shall be constructed in accordance with minimum standards for plat street construction, as those standards are established by Title 16 of this code.
(5) Paving Required. All park streets and access roads shall be graded and paved with a crushed rock base and asphaltic concrete, blacktop, or two lifts of light bituminous surface treatment, in accordance with the standard specifications for highway construction as promulgated by the Washington State Highway Department, or concrete surfacing.
(6) The owner of each mobile home park shall, at the time of filing his plan, grant to the police and fire departments the perpetual right to use all streets and roads within his mobile home park. All mobile home park proposals shall be reviewed by the city fire chief and chief of police to insure adequate ingress and egress, internal circulation for emergency vehicles and the location of fire hydrants and other emergency facilities. (Ord. 1087 §6, 1978: Ord. 915 §6, 1971).
15.22.070 Off-street parking facilities.
(1) Number. There shall be a minimum of two off-street parking spaces for each mobile home lot. Additional common parking facilities shall be provided at the rate of one additional space for every ten mobile home lots.
(2) Size. Each parking space shall contain a minimum of one hundred eighty square feet, with a minimum width of nine feet.
(3) Parking Prohibited. Parking spaces shall not be located within the setback required around the perimeter of the mobile home park. Parking shall be only in designated parking areas within the mobile home park, and shall be prohibited on all park access roads. No common parking space shall be located closer than ten feet to any mobile home lot line.
(4) Office Parking Facilities. A minimum of two off-street parking spaces shall be provided for the mobile home park office.
(5) Paving Required. All common parking areas shall be paved with a crushed rock base and asphaltic concrete, blacktop, or concrete surfacing. Off-street parking areas on individual mobile home lots shall be paved with an adequate all-weather surface. (Ord. 915 §7, 1971).
15.22.080 Walkways.
(1) Common Walkways. An adequate, safe, convenient, all-season common walkway system shall be provided and maintained between locations where pedestrian traffic is concentrated. Such walkways shall have a minimum width of four feet.
(2) Individual Walkways. Each mobile home pad shall be connected to the common walkway system or to a paved street, and such individual walks shall have a minimum width of three feet. (Ord. 915 §8, 1971).
15.22.090 Utilities and sanitation.
(1) Water and electrical supply, sewage and refuse disposal, insect and rodent control, fuel supply and storage, and fire protection facilities and services shall meet all applicable state and local standards. In the event that refuse disposal is not available to each lot, community type containers shall be provided of a size and in a number reasonably necessary to serve the mobile homes situated in the park and shall be located so that no mobile home shall be more than one hundred fifty feet from such a container. The community type container shall be shielded from view by a view-obscuring fence, or such other view-obscuring device as may be approved by the director of public works. All such parks shall be required to install and utilize services in relation to the provision of domestic water, sanitary sewage, garbage disposal, fire hydrants and storm drainage systems when such systems are available from the city. These services shall be installed according to the guidelines established by the city engineer.
(2) Underground Utilities Required. Electrical power, telephone and television cables shall be installed underground.
(3) Recreational Facilities Required. It being recognized that the establishment of a mobile home park will increase the demand for recreational facilities, such facilities for utilization of all inhabitants of the park shall be provided as may be required by the terms and conditions of the permit at the time of its issuance. (Ord. 1087 §7, 1978: Ord. 915 §9, 1971).
15.22.100 Mobile home pad.
(1) Pad Required. Each mobile home lot shall be provided with a pad of sufficient size to accommodate the mobile home and any attached accessory structures.
(2) Surfacing of Pads. Each mobile home pad shall be surfaced with a minimum of three inches of washed gravel of uniform size, or other surface approved by the director of public works.
(3) Grading of Pads. The mobile home pad shall be graded to obtain adequate surface drainage. (Ord. 1087 §8, 1978: Ord. 915 §10, 1971).
15.22.110 Service building.
(1) Service Building Optional. A service building providing toilet, bathing and laundry facilities shall be optional for a mobile home park accommodating only independent mobile homes.
(2) Service Building Required. A service building providing toilet, bathing and laundry facilities shall be provided for any mobile home park accommodating dependent mobile homes. Segregated areas for dependent and independent mobile homes shall be provided in cases where both are to be accommodated in the same mobile home park.
(3) Service Building Standards. In cases where a service building is required, it shall meet all applicable local and state standards, and it shall be conveniently located to the mobile home lots. (Ord. 915 §11, 1971).
15.22.120 Buffer, ground cover and recreation area.
(1) Buffer Required. An adequate landscaped buffer or screen may be required to make the mobile home park compatible with adjacent residential uses. A buffer and screen shall be required when a park is adjacent to a commercial or manufacturing zone.
(2) Ground Cover Required. Lawn or other suitable ground cover shall be required on all areas except those covered by structures, by paved or surfaced areas, and by planting beds. Also excepted are undisturbed areas such as ravines and streams which are preserved in their natural state.
(3) Recreation Area Required. No less than ten percent of the gross area of the mobile home park shall be provided for recreational space; provided, however, that no outdoor recreation area shall contain less than two thousand five hundred square feet. (Ord. 915 §12, 1971).
15.22.130 Storage.
(1) Storage Provided. Individual storage space for each mobile home shall be provided by the park management, either at each mobile home lot or in a centralized storage facility located within a reasonable distance from the mobile home lot (generally not more than one hundred feet).
(2) Size of Storage Space. The amount of storage space provided for each mobile home unit shall be not less than one hundred forty-four cubic feet of usable space, with a minimum height of six feet.
(3) Design and Construction of Storage Facilities. Storage facilities shall be designed in a manner that will enhance the appearance of the park, shall be constructed of suitable weather-resistant materials, and shall meet all standards of the Building Code.
(4) Storage Under Mobile Home Prohibited. There shall be no storage of any combustible material underneath any mobile home. (Ord. 915 §13, 1971).
15.22.140 Mobile home accessories.
(1) Accessories Allowed. Normal accessories for mobile homes shall be allowed and may include an awning, carport, ramada, cabana, deck, and storage facility.
(2) Structural additions other than allowed accessories shall be allowed so long as they do not violate any yard or area requirement for the lot, the exterior material of such addition is consistent with the quality and material of the main unit's exterior, and the addition meets the provisions of the Uniform Building Code. In the event of such additions, the mobile home shall support only in such manner as may comply with the requirements of the Uniform Building Code.
(3) Skirting Required. All mobile homes shall be skirted with material approved by the building official as being of a material which is adequately weather-resistant and fire-resistant.
(4) Steps Required. All mobile homes shall be equipped with sturdy steps or ramps of an adequate width and equipped with a handrail; provided, that they shall meet the requirements of the Uniform Building Code.
(5) Be connected to an approved water and sewer or septic tank system.
(6) Be affixed to foundation, footing, or pad by no fewer than two tiedowns or permanent connectors per perimeter side with the actual number and type thereof to be established by the building official upon examination by the official of the nature of the underlying soil conditions; provided, that in no event shall tiedowns be allowed that are less.
(7) Have no less than a twenty-four-inch crawl space under the entire unit.
(8) Tongue, axle, and wheels shall be removed. (Ord. 1300 §2, 1990: Ord. 1087 §9, 1978: Ord. 913 §14, 1971).
15.22.150 Signs.
(1) All signs and advertising devices shall be prohibited in a mobile home park except:
(a) One identifying sign at the entrance of the mobile home park which may be indirectly lighted, but shall be nonflashing, and which shall not exceed thirty-two square feet in area;
(b) Directional or informational signs for the convenience of tenants and the public relative to parking, office, traffic movement, etc.; provided such signs are not larger than two square feet in area.
(2) Maximum Height of Identifying Sign. The maximum height of the identifying sign shall be four feet. (Ord. 915 §15, 1971).
15.22.160 Requirements for approval of mobile home park permit.
(1) Permit Required. It is unlawful for any person to construct, alter, operate, maintain or extend any mobile home park within the boundaries of the city of Montesano unless the, park is the subject of a valid permit issued by the city council.
(2) Application for Permit and Filing of Plans. Application to construct, alter, or enlarge any mobile home park shall be filed with the city clerk of the city of Montesano. Such application shall be accompanied by four copies of a complete plan of the proposed park.
(3) Preparation of Plans. All mobile home park plans shall be prepared by a licensed professional engineer, architect, landscape architect, planner, or comparable professional; provided, however, that drawings of equivalent professional quality may also be available; provided, that as to any plan, whether for utility service or otherwise, which by state law or city ordinance, must be prepared by an engineer or other state certified or licensed professional, it shall be so prepared.
(4) Refusal to Examine Incomplete Plans. The city council shall have the right and does reserve the right to refuse to examine any incomplete, unintelligible or indefinite plans and to refuse to take any action on an application until appropriate plans have been submitted.
(5) Information Required on Plans. The mobile home park plan shall be drawn to scale and completely dimensioned. Such plans shall clearly set forth the following information at a scale of not less than one inch, equals one hundred feet:
(A) Name and address of the park owner;
(B) Name and address of person who prepared the plan;
(C) Name, address, and legal description of the park;
(D) Vicinity map showing relationship of park to adjacent properties,- roads, schools, etc.;
(E) Boundaries, dimensions and acreage of the park;
(F) Location and dimensions of each mobile home lot, designating each site by consecutive number;
(G) Location and width of all entrances, exits, driveways, walkways and streets;
(H) Location, size and number of all automobile. parking facilities;
(I) Location and dimensions of all service buildings and other proposed structures, and other accessory buildings;
(J) Location, dimensions, and area of recreation and open space areas;
(K) Plan of water system showing connection with public system or location of well, and showing location of water riser pipes on each mobile home lot;
(L) Method and plan of sewage disposal system including plan and profile of all sewer lines;
(M) Method and plan of surface drainage facilities;
(N) Method of solid waste disposal and location of collection stands;
(O) Location and type of firefighting facilities;
(P) Location and plan for electrical service outlets and outside lighting facilities;
(Q) Enlarged plot plan of a typical mobile home lot, showing location of pad, storage facility, parking, walkway, utility connections, and landscaping;
(R) Scale of plan and north point;
(S) Upon request of the city engineer, a map showing topographic contours with an interval of two feet.
(6) Application Fee Required. All applications shall be accompanied by the payment to the city clerk-controller of a fee of one hundred dollars.
(7) Issuance of Permit. When, upon review of the application and all other related data and information, the city council is satisfied that the proposed park meets the requirements of this chapter and the regulations issued hereunder and that the best interests of the city and its citizens will be served by the issuance of a permit, a permit may be issued. (Ord. 1087 §10, 1978: Ord. 915 §16, 1971).
15.22.170 Administration, enforcement, and penalties.
Administration (1) Interpretation. In interpreting and applying the provisions of this chapter, they shall be held to be minimum requirements adopted for the promotion of the public health, safety, and general welfare.
(2) Conflict of Ordinances. In any case where a provision of this chapter is found to be in conflict with a provision of any other ordinance, code, or regulation, the provision which establishes the higher standard for the promotion and protection of the public health, safety, and general welfare shall prevail.
(3) Effect of Partial Invalidity. If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause, or phrase of this chapter is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of the remaining portions of this chapter; and to this end the provisions of this chapter are severable.
(4) Variances. The city of Montesano reserves the right to vary the strict application of specific requirements where such modification is necessary and reasonable and the public interest will be protected and preserved, except as to Section 15.22.050(2); said variance shall be considered by the board of adjustment, subject to approval of the city council, whose decision shall be final.
(5) Appeals: Any person, firm or corporation aggrieved by a decision or ruling made pursuant to this chapter may appeal to the Grays Harbor Superior Court. The notice of appeal shall be made in writing and filed with the city clerk within thirty days of the day on which the person, firm or corporation appealing to the Grays Harbor Superior Court is notified of the decision or ruling of the building inspector or city council. (Ord. 915 §17, 1971).
15.22.180 Enforcement.
(1) Enforcement by designated officers: It shall be the duty of the building inspector, Montesano police department, and fire inspector to administer and enforce all provisions of this chapter.
(2) Procedures may be adopted: Administrative regulations, forms, and procedures may be adopted as necessary. (Ord. 915 §18, 1971).
Prior ordinance history: Ord. 915.