17.08.230 Mobile home parks.
A. Purpose. It shall be the purpose and intent of this section to establish and set forth standards, criteria and procedures for the development and maintenance of mobile home parks, in order to insure well-planned developments that are compatible with existing land uses and to assure the orderly development of the town of South Prairie, consistent with the comprehensive plan.
B. Mobile Home Parks – Establishment. Where permitted, mobile home parks shall meet the following minimum requirements:
1. Mobile home parks shall be permitted only upon the granting of a conditional use permit by the planning commission and upon the subsequent issuance of a building permit. Plans and documents submitted as a part of the conditional use application shall show compliance with the minimum performance regulations established by this section. The planning commission may impose such other specific performance standards as deemed necessary, on a case-by-case basis, to assure the compatibility of the proposed mobile home park with adjacent existing and planned uses; provided, that the planning commission, in connection with action on a conditional use permit, may not reduce the minimum standards specified by this section in matters for which a variance is the remedy except as provided in subsection G of this section.
C. Minor Amendments. Plans which are approved by the planning commission may, upon request of the property owner, be amended by the building department official as an administrative act. This authority shall be limited to amendments of a minor nature which cause no increase in intensity of use and which do not reduce performance standards below those set forth when approved and which do not result in detrimental impact upon adjoining properties, and which do not substantially alter the design of the official site plan. No changes in points of vehicular access to the property shall be approved without written concurrence from the planning commission. Disagreements over amendments may be appealed by an aggrieved party to the city council. Requested amendments, which are deemed by the building department official to exceed the authority granted by this paragraph, shall be submitted to the planning commission for consideration.
D. Compliance with Other Applicable Regulations. Conformance to this section shall not relieve the developer of the responsibility of complying with all other applicable regulations, including compliance with the town of South Prairie’s and/or the state of Washington’s environmental regulations. The issuance of a building permit and a conditional use permit for the establishment or expansion of a mobile home park shall be subject to review and approval of the site plan by the public works department, health department and the fire department.
E. Mobile Home Park Design Criteria. The following criteria shall govern the design of a mobile home park:
1. A mobile home park shall not be less than five acres and shall contain not fewer than two spaces. Five acres shall be as defined by SPMC Title 15.
2. A mobile home park shall not be established on any site providing less than a 30-foot-wide access to a public street.
3. A space containing not less than 3,000 square feet shall be established and maintained for each mobile home intended to be located within the park for rental or lease purposes; provided, that the total space coverage by all structures within each space shall not exceed 50 percent. Only one mobile home shall occupy any given space in the park.
4. No building, structure or land within the boundaries of a mobile home park shall be used for any purpose other than the following:
a. Mobile homes used as a single-family residence only.
b. A patio, carport and/or garage as an accessory use for a mobile home.
c. Recreation buildings and structures including facilities such as a swimming pool for the exclusive use of park residents and their guests.
d. One residence for the use of the owner, a manager or caretaker responsible for maintaining or operating the property. This residence may be either a mobile home or a site-built structure.
e. Public utilities where related exclusively to serving the mobile home park.
5. No mobile home, building or other structure shall be located closer to a park boundary property line than is specified by the zone district in which the park is located. A mobile home or accessory structure shall not be located closer than 15 feet from any other mobile home, or closer than 10 feet from an interior park roadway. Mobile home accessory buildings, when not attached to the mobile home, shall not be closer than three feet from such mobile home, unless an intervening firewall is provided. Attached structures shall be considered a part of the mobile home for setback purposes. Swimming pools shall be located not closer than 50 feet from a park boundary property line in residentially zoned areas and shall be fenced in accordance with existing laws.
6. All sinks, showers, toilets or other similar fixtures in mobile homes and service buildings shall be connected to a sewer system. Where a public sewer is not available, the building and mobile home sewer shall be connected to a private sewerage disposal system.
a. Before commencement of construction of a private sewerage disposal system, i.e., septic tanks and drain fields, the owner shall first obtain a written permit from the Pierce County health department and submit the same to the town. The application for such permit shall be to the Pierce County health department. The applicant shall supplement any plans, specifications and other information as are deemed necessary by the Pierce County health department.
b. The permit for a private sewerage disposal system shall not become effective until the installation is completed to the satisfaction of the Pierce County health department.
7. Each mobile home site shall be connected to the town water system, unless approval for an independent water supply to service the mobile home park has been obtained from the town council. All necessary mains or pipes shall be installed at the sole cost and expense of the developer according to the specifications of the town.
8. Two off-street parking stalls shall be provided for each mobile home space with a minimum 10-foot access to a park street. All required off-street parking spaces shall be not less than eight feet by 20 feet and shall be paved. On-street or curbside parking shall not be counted as part or all of the required parking for a mobile home park where moving traffic lanes are used for this purpose.
9. All interior park roads shall be privately owned and shall be paved with asphalt or concrete to a width to safely accommodate the movement of a mobile home and emergency vehicles.
Dead-end streets shall be provided with a 70-foot minimum diameter roadway surface turnaround exclusive of parking lanes.
10. Storage areas for recreational vehicles, boats, and trailers must be provided. Such areas shall be enclosed by a sight-obscuring fence or hedgerow.
11. There shall be landscaping and ground cover within open areas of the mobile home park not otherwise used for park purposes. Such open areas and landscaping shall be continually and properly maintained.
12. When deemed necessary to maintain compatibility of the park with adjacent land uses, buffering or screening may be required by the planning commission.
13. Mobile homes may be maintained with or without mobility gear but in either event shall be secured to the ground in a manner approved by the building department official consistent with existing ordinances. Each mobile home shall be skirted with weather resistant, noncombustible material compatible with the exterior finish of the mobile home.
F. Planning Commission May Grant Limited Waivers. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection B of this section, the planning commission may grant a waiver or reduction of the requirements of subsections (E)(1), (E)(3), (E)(5), (E)(8), (E)(10), (E)(11) and (E)(12) of this section.
G. Phased Development of Mobile Home Parks. Proposed mobile home parks of 10 or more acres in size may be developed in phases. Notwithstanding a change of zone or reclassification of the site which would ordinarily preclude further development, a mobile home park which has completed the initial phase of development may be continued and developed into all additional phases indicated on the approved site plan; provided, that this exception shall only be applicable to phases which can be substantially completed within five years of the adoption of the change of zone.
H. Park Administration.
1. It shall be the responsibility of the park owner and manager to assure that the provisions of this section are observed and maintained within the mobile home park. Violations of this section shall subject both the owner and the manager of the facility to the penalties provided for the violation of this section.
2. No travel trailer or recreational vehicle shall be utilized except as a temporary living quarters; however, the parking of an unoccupied recreational vehicle in duly designated storage areas shall be permitted. For the purpose of this paragraph, the word “temporary” shall mean a period of 30 consecutive days.
3. All refuse shall be stored in insect-proof, animal-proof, watertight containers which shall be provided in sufficient number and capacity to accomodate all refuse. Any storage area for refuse containers shall be enclosed by sight-obscuring fence or screening and shall be situated on a concrete pad and shown on the site plan. Refuse shall be collected and disposed of on a regular basis.
4. Construction of accessory structures and alterations and additions to the mobile home park shall be subject to review by the building department official, and necessary permits and inspections shall be obtained as required for such construction.
5. All electrical connections to each mobile home shall comply with the electrical code and shall be inspected.
6. A portable fire extinguisher, rated for Classes A, B, and C, shall be kept in service buildings and at other locations conveniently and readily accessible for use by all residents and shall be maintained in good operating condition.
7. The park shall be maintained free of any brush, leaves, and weeds which might communicate fires between manufactured homes and other improvements. No combustible materials shall be stored in, around, or under any manufactured home.
8. When required, individual mail boxes shall be provided for each space in the park.
9. The owner, or a designated agent, shall be available and responsible for the direct management of the mobile home park.
I. Penalties. Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding $500.00. Each day’s continued violation shall constitute a separate additional violation.
In addition to the penalties set forth for the violation of this section, the proper officials of the town of South Prairie may institute appropriate legal action, including a petition for injunctive relief, or proceeding to prevent unlawful acts, to restrain, correct or abate any violation. [Ord. 159 §§ 1 - 8, 10, 1984.]