This article contains provisions setting forth
minimum standards for the design, construction, alteration, extension
and maintenance of mobile home parks and related utilities and facilities.
Included also, are regulations for the erection of mobile homes. Finally,
also, provisions are included authorizing the issuance of permits
for construction, alteration and/or extension of mobile home parks,
the licensing of those who operate mobile home parks, the inspection
of mobile home parks by authorized Township officials and the fixing
of penalties for any violation of any provision of this chapter.
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Any subordinate structure incidental to and located on the
same lot as the principal structure. For this section of this article
accessory structure would also include any addition or enlargement
of a mobile home, including the construction of any porch to said
mobile home.
Written annual approval, in whatever form, as issued by the
Township, authorizing a person to operate and maintain a mobile home
park.
A transportable, single-family dwelling intended for permanent
occupancy, office or place of assembly contained in one unit, single-wide
or in two double-wide units designed to be joined into one integral
unit capable of again being separated for repeated towing, which arrives
at a site complete and ready for occupancy except for minor and incidental
unpacking and assembly operations and constructed so that it may be
used with a permanent foundation.
A parcel of land in a mobile home park, improved with the
necessary utility connections and other appurtenances necessary for
the erection thereon of a single mobile home.
A parcel or contiguous parcels of land which has been so
designated and improved that it contains two or more mobile home lots
for the placement thereon of mobile homes.
Any individual, firm, trust, partnership, public or private
association or corporation or other entity.
A vehicle which is designed for human occupancy under transient
circumstances, such as camping, travel or other recreation, sometimes
variously known as a "travel trailer" or a "camping trailer."
A structure housing operational offices, recreational, park
maintenance and other facilities built to conform to required local
standards.
A.
Permits required. It shall be unlawful for any person
to construct, alter or extend any mobile home park within the limits
of Mount Joy Township unless a valid permit has been issued in the
name of such person for specific construction, alteration or extension
proposed by the Township.
B.
Application to the Township. All applications for permits shall be made by the owner of the mobile home park or his authorized representative to the Township in accordance with its rules and regulations concerning mobile home parks. Such applications shall be accompanied by a plan drawn at a scale not smaller than one inch equals 50 feet and containing the following information, along with other information required under Article III of this chapter:
(1)
Name of mobile home park.
(2)
Name and address of owner of record and/or applicant.
(3)
Name of engineer, surveyor or other qualified person
preparing plan.
(4)
North arrow, scale and date of plan preparation.
(5)
Location map.
(7)
Topography showing existing and proposed contours
at intervals of two or five feet, depending on the slope of the land.
(8)
The location of any existing bodies of water or watercourses,
floodplain areas, tree masses, building or structures, public facilities
and any other man made or natural features within or near the proposed
mobile home park area.
(10)
Existing and proposed property, lot and boundary
lines, including building, setback lines and information concerning
lot dimensions, lot areas and the location of all utilities and designation
if lot is for single-wide or double-wide mobile homes.
(11)
Location and dimensions of all mobile home stands.
(12)
The location of all existing and proposed streets
with information concerning pavement widths, types of paving and street
names.
(13)
Typical cross-section of all streets.
(14)
Street center line profiles.
(15)
Location of all off-street parking areas.
(16)
Location and dimension of all pedestrian walkways
and sidewalks.
(17)
Location of proposed recreation areas.
(18)
Location of all plantings and landscaping.
(19)
Location, dimensions and proposed use of all
service and accessory structures.
(20)
Location and type of waste containers.
(21)
Location of all fire extinguishers.
(22)
Engineer's or surveyor's seal with certification
that survey and plan are correct.
(23)
Block for approval by Planning Commission.
(24)
Block for approval by the Board of Supervisors.
(25)
Block for review of the Adams County Planning
Agency.
C.
Review of plans and issuance of permit.
(1)
Upon receipt of the application, the plans shall be reviewed in accordance with provisions of Article III of this chapter.
(2)
If approved, the Chairman and Secretary of the Board
of Supervisors shall sign the plan and issue a permit. If the application
and plan are disapproved, the Board of Supervisors shall notify the
developer or owner, in writing, including a statement of reason for
its decision.
D.
Fees. Each application for a permit shall be accompanied
by a check, payable to the Township, in an amount equal to the fee
required for the inspection of mobile home parks as set forth in the
fee schedule currently in force in the Township. Such fee shall be
required whether or not the application is approved.
A.
License required. It shall be unlawful for any person
to operate any mobile home park within the limit of the Township unless
he holds a license issued annually by the Township.
B.
Renewal licenses. Annual licenses shall be issued
by the Township Supervisors upon the furnishing of proof by the applicant
that his park meets the standards prescribed by this article.
C.
Application to Township for license. Applications
for initial or renewal licenses to operate a mobile home park shall
be made, in writing, to the Township Supervisors using a form furnished
by the Township. All such applications shall be accompanied by a check,
payable to the Township, in an amount equal to the fee required for
license to operate a mobile home park as set forth in the fee schedule
currently in force in the Township. All such applications shall contain
any change in the information submitted since the original license
was issued or latest renewal was issued. The Township may also require
additional payment in an amount sufficient to cover any engineering
fees incurred as a result of the licensing process.
D.
Transfer of ownership. Every person holding a license
shall file a written notice to the Township Supervisors within 10
days after having sold, transferred, given away or otherwise disposed
of interest in, or control of any mobile home park. Proof of such
transfer shall be furnished to the Township Supervisors accompanied
by a fee as set forth in the fee schedule currently in force in the
Township.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The current fee schedule is
on file in the Township offices.
E.
Suspension. Whenever, upon inspection of any mobile
home park, it is determined that conditions or practices exist which
are in violation of any provisions of this article, or of any regulations
adopted pursuant thereto, the Township Supervisors shall give written
notice to the person to whom the license was issued advising him that
unless such conditions or practices are corrected within a reasonable
period of time specified in the notice, the license to operate in
the Township shall be suspended. At the end of such period, such mobile
home park shall be inspected and if such conditions or practices have
not been corrected, and the licensee has not requested a hearing,
the Township Supervisors shall suspend the license and give notice,
in writing, of such suspension to the person to whom the license is
issued.
F.
Compliance of existing mobile home parks.
(1)
Mobile home parks in existence at the date of adoption
of this article may be continued so long as they otherwise remain
lawful.
(2)
Existing mobile home parks shall be required to submit an existing plot plan, drawn to scale, when applying for a mobile home park license as required under § 86-54B of this chapter.
(3)
Any subsequent new construction, alteration or extension
of an existing mobile home park shall comply with the provisions of
this article.
(4)
Any existing mobile home park which, in the opinion
of the Board of Supervisors creates a fire hazard or health hazard
shall be required to comply with this article within a reasonable
period of time as determined by the Board of Supervisors.
The Township Supervisors or other authorized
Township representative may inspect a mobile home park periodically
to determine compliance with this article. As a result of such inspection,
the Township Supervisors may give notice for any violation of this
article.
A.
Site location. The location of all mobile home parks
shall comply with the following minimum requirements:
B.
Site drainage.
(1)
The ground surface in all parts of a park shall be
graded and equipped to drain surface water in a safe, efficient manner.
Where necessary, storm sewers, culverts and related facilities shall
be provided to permit the unimpeded flow of natural watercourses and
to ensure the adequate drainage of all locations within the park.
(2)
A drainage plan shall be prepared and submitted for review and approval by the Township prior to the granting of a permit for any mobile home park. Said plan shall conform to the provisions of § 86-30 of this chapter.
(3)
All stormwater facilities shall be kept completely
separate from any sanitary waste facilities.
C.
Soil and ground cover requirements.
(1)
Ground surfaces in all parts of every park shall be
paved or planted with a vegetative growth that is capable of preventing
soil erosion and the emanation of dust during dry weather.
(2)
All paving shall be in accordance with Chapter 81, Stormwater Management, of the Code of the Township of Mount Joy.
[Amended 8-16-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-04]
(3)
Park grounds shall be maintained free of vegetative
growth which is poisonous or which may harbor rodents, insects or
other pests.
D.
Park areas for nonresidential uses.
(1)
No part of any park shall be used for nonresidential
purposes, except such uses that are required for recreation, direct
servicing, management or maintenance of the park and its residents.
(2)
Nothing contained in this section shall be deemed
as prohibiting the sale of a mobile home located on a mobile home
lot and connected to utilities.
E.
Setbacks, buffer strips and screening.
(1)
Mobile homes in parks shall be located at least 70
feet from the center line of any abutting existing or proposed public
minor street, 80 feet from the center line of any abutting existing
or proposed public collector street and 100 feet from the center line
of any arterial street.
(2)
There shall be a minimum distance of 30 feet between
an individual mobile home, including accessory structures attached
thereto, and adjoining pavement of a park street or common parking
area or other common areas and structures.
(3)
Mobile homes shall be located at least 25 feet from
any park property line and at least 15 feet from any side or rear
mobile home lot line.
(4)
Mobile home parks located adjacent to any industrial,
commercial or residential land use shall be designed to provide an
area for screen planting (trees, shrubs) along the property boundary
line separating the park from such adjacent use.
(5)
The corners of each mobile home lot shall be marked
in accordance with the dimensions shown on the plan. All mobile homes
shall be located on the lot to conform to the required setback distances
from lot lines.
F.
Placement of mobile homes.
(1)
Mobile homes, including any additions or accessory
structures attached thereto, shall be separated from each other and
from other buildings and structures by at least 30 feet on all sides.
(2)
All mobile homes shall be properly placed upon and
securely fastened to a frost-free foundation or footer. In no instance
shall it be placed upon jack, loose blocks or other similar arrangements.
(3)
An enclosure of compatible design and materials shall
be erected around the entire base of each mobile home. Such enclosure
shall provide sufficient ventilation to inhibit decay and deterioration
of the structure.
G.
Park street system.
(1)
A safe and convenient vehicular access shall be provided from abutting public streets or roads. Such access shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of § 86-20B of this chapter.
(2)
The entrance road, or area, connecting the park with
a public street or road shall have a minimum pavement of 36 feet.
(3)
A minimum pavement width of 36 feet shall be required
on all internal streets.
(5)
All streets within a mobile home park shall be privately
owned and maintained.
H.
Off-street parking areas.
(1)
Two off-street parking spaces shall be provided for
each mobile home lot. In addition for each two mobile home spaces
there shall be provided one additional off-street parking space.
(2)
Off-street parking spaces shall be a minimum of 10
feet by 20 feet.
(3)
Off-street parking spaces shall be no closer than
two feet to the pedestrian walk adjacent to the street and no closer
then five feet to any mobile home or accessory structure.
(4)
All off-street parking spaces shall be paved.
I.
J.
Mobile home lots.
(1)
All lots shall abut and be accessible from a park
street.
(2)
Mobile home lots within the park shall have a minimum
area of 6,000 square feet and a minimum width of 55 feet frontage
for a single-wide mobile home or a minimum area of 7,500 square feet
and a minimum width of 70 feet for a double-wide mobile home with
a maximum of five units per acre.
(3)
Mobile home lots within the park shall be improved
to provide a mobile home stand and the mobile home shall be affixed
to a permanent enclosed structure.
K.
Recreation areas. In all mobile home parks, a recreation
area or areas with suitable facilities, shall be maintained within
the park for the use of all park residents. Such recreation areas:
A.
General.
(1)
An adequate supply of safe water of satisfactory quality
under adequate pressure shall be provided in all parks, to all mobile
homes, service buildings and other accessory facilities. Where a public
water supply system of satisfactory quantity, quality and pressure
is available, connection shall be made thereto and its supply shall
be used exclusively.
(2)
Where a satisfactory public water supply system is
not available, water shall be provided by a private water supply system
which has been approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection.
B.
Source of supply.
(1)
The water supply shall be capable of supplying a minimum
of 180 gallons per day per mobile home.
(2)
The well or auction line of the water supply system
shall be located and constructed in such a manner that neither underground
nor surface contamination will reach the water supply from any source.
[Amended 9-3-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-06]
(3)
No well-casings, pumps, pumping machinery or suction
pipes shall be placed in any pit, room or space extending below ground
level nor in any room or space above ground which is walled in or
otherwise enclosed, unless such rooms, whether above or below ground,
have free drainage by gravity to the surface of the ground.
(4)
Water supply treatment, if necessary, shall be in
accordance with the requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection.
C.
Water storage facilities. All water storage reservoirs
shall be covered, watertight and constructed of impervious material.
Overflows and vents of such reservoirs shall be effectively screened.
Manholes shall be constructed with overlapping covers, so as to prevent
the entrance of contaminated materials. Reservoir overflow pipes shall
discharge through an acceptable air gap.
D.
Water distribution system.
(1)
All water piping, fixtures and other equipment shall
be constructed and maintained in accordance with state and local regulations.
(2)
The water piping system shall not be connected with
nonpotable or questionable water supplies and shall be protected against
the hazards of backflow or backsiphonage.
(3)
The system shall be so designed and maintained as
to provide a pressure of not less than 20 pounds per square inch,
under normal operating conditions, at all locations requiring potable
water supply.
(4)
Where a public supply of water is provided, fire hydrants
shall be installed as agreed upon by the Board of Supervisors and
the agency responsible for supplying water.
E.
Individual water-riser pipes and connections.
(1)
Individual water-riser pipes shall be located within
the confined area of the mobile home stand at a point where the water
connection will approximate a vertical position, thereby ensuring
the shortest water connection possible and decreasing susceptibility
to water pipe freezing.
(2)
The water-riser pipe shall have a minimum inside diameter
of 3/4 inches and terminate at least four inches above the ground
surface. The water outlet shall be provided with a cap when a mobile
home does not occupy the lot.
(3)
Adequate provisions shall be made to prevent freezing
of service lines, valves and riser pipe and to protect risers from
heaving and showing actions of ground during freezing weather. Surface
drainage shall be diverted from the location of the riser pipe.
(4)
A shut-off valve below the frost line shall be provided
near the water-riser pipe on each mobile home lot. Underground stop-and-waste-valves
are prohibited unless their types of manufacture and their method
of installation are approved by the Board of Supervisors.
A.
General.
(1)
An adequate and a safe sewage system shall be provided
in all parks for conveying and disposing of sewage from mobile homes,
service buildings and other accessory facilities. Where a public sewage
system of adequate capacity is available, connection shall be made
thereto and it shall be used exclusively.
(2)
Where a satisfactory public sewage system is not available,
a private sewage treatment system shall be provided. Such system shall
be designed, constructed and maintained in accordance with the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection regulations. No on-site septic
systems are permitted with the following exception:
(a)
The maximum number of mobile home lots is three
or less.
(b)
The total area of the park is a minimum of 65,000
square feet for two mobile home lots or 97,500 square feet for three
mobile home lots.
(c)
The minimum width of the park at the front setback
line is 165 feet for two mobile home lots or 200 feet for three mobile
home lots.
(d)
An alternate site must be reserved for a replacement
on-site septic system.
(e)
In areas of carbonated rock formation the minimum
lot size per mobile home site is 60,000 square feet or as required
under § 86-22G(1)(a) of this chapter.
B.
Individual sewer connections.
(1)
Each mobile home stand shall be provided with at least
a four-inch-diameter sewer riser pipe. The sewer riser pipe shall
be so located on each stand that the sewer connection to the mobile
home drain outlet will approximate a vertical position.
(2)
The sewer connection (see definition) shall have a
nominal inside diameter of not less than three inches, and the slope
of any portion thereof shall be at least 1/4 inch per foot. All
joints shall be watertight.
(3)
All materials used for sewer connections shall be
semirigid, corrosive resistant, nonabsorbent and durable. The inner
surface shall be smooth.
(4)
Provisions shall be made for plugging the sewer riser
pipe when diverted away from the riser. The rim of the riser pipe
shall extend at least 1/2 inch above ground elevation.
C.
Sewer lines. Sewer and water lines shall be laid in
separate trenches with a horizontal distance of at least 10 feet from
each other, except that these lines may be laid in the same trench
by placing the water pipe on a shelf of undisturbed earth above and
to one side of the caulked tight sewer line. All sewer lines shall
be constructed of approved materials by the Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection and shall have watertight joints.
A.
General. Every park shall contain an electrical wiring
system consisting of wiring, fixtures, equipment and appurtenances
which shall be installed and maintained in accordance with the local
electric power company's specifications regulating such systems.
B.
Power distribution lines. All power distribution lines
shall be installed underground in accordance with the supplier's regulations.
All other utilities, such as telephone, community cable television
service, etc., shall also be installed underground in accordance with
the individual utility's specifications governing such systems.
C.
Individual electrical connections. Each mobile home
lot shall be provided with an approved disconnecting device and overcurrent
protective equipment. The minimum service per outlet shall be 12 0/240
volts AC, 100 amps.
D.
Required grounding. All exposed non-current-carrying
metal parts of mobile homes and all other equipment shall be grounded
by means of an approved grounding conducted run with branch circuit
conductors or other approved methods of grounded metallic wiring.
The neutral conductor shall not be used as an equipment ground for
mobile homes or other equipment.
C.
Structural requirements for buildings. All portions
of the structure shall be properly protected from damage by ordinary
uses and by decay, corrosion, termites and other destructive elements.
Exterior portions shall be of such materials and be so constructed
as to prevent entrance of penetration of moisture and weather.
A.
The storage, collection and disposal of refuse in
the mobile home park shall be so constructed as to create no health
hazards, rodent harborage, insect breeding areas, accident or fire
hazard or air pollution and shall comply with all applicable Township
and state regulations.
B.
All refuse shall be stored in fly-tight, watertight,
rodent proof containers, which shall be located not more than 150
feet away from any mobile home space. Containers shall be provided
in sufficient number and capacity to properly store all refuse. Rubbish
shall be collected and disposed of as frequently as may be necessary
to ensure that the containers shall not overflow.
Grounds, buildings and structures shall be maintained
free of insects and rodent harborage and infestation. Extermination
methods and other measures to control insect and rodent shall comply
with all applicable Township and state regulations.
A.
Natural gas system.
(1)
Natural gas piping systems when installed in mobile
home parks shall be approved by the utility company providing the
service.
(2)
Each mobile home lot provided with piped gas shall
have an approved shutoff valve installed upstream of the gas outlet.
The outlet shall be equipped with an approved cap to prevent accidental
discharge of gas when the outlet is not in use.
B.
Liquefied petroleum gas systems. Liquefied petroleum
gas systems provided for mobile homes, service buildings or other
structures when installed shall be maintained in conformity with any
applicable rules and regulations and shall include the following:
(1)
Systems shall be provided with safety devices to relieve
excessive pressures and shall be arranged so that the discharge terminates
at a safe location.
(2)
Systems shall have at least one accessible means for
shutting off gas. Such means shall be located outside the mobile home
and shall be maintained in effective operating condition.
(3)
All LPG piping outside the mobile home shall be buried
and protected against mechanical injury. Undiluted liquefied petroleum
gas in liquid form shall not be conveyed through piping equipment
and systems in mobile homes.
(4)
No LPG vessel shall be stored or located inside or
beneath any storage cabinet, carport, mobile home or any other structure
unless such installations are specially approved by the Township.
C.
Fuel oil supply systems.
(1)
All fuel oil supply systems provided for mobile homes,
service buildings and other structures shall be installed and maintained
in conformity with applicable rules and regulations.
(2)
All storage tanks shall be protected from physical
damage.
(3)
All fuel oil supply systems provided for mobile homes,
service buildings and other structures shall have shutoff valves located
within five inches of storage tanks.
(4)
All fuel storage tanks and cylinders shall be securely
placed and under no circumstances located less than five feet from
any mobile home exit.
A.
Any mobile home shall meet the specifications for
manufacture of mobile homes as set forth in United States Standards
Institute, Standards for Mobile Homes, USA Standards A 119.1-1969,
NFPA No. 501B-1968, and any subsequent modification or amendment of
such standards.
B.
If a mobile home is erected and maintained as a single-family
dwelling other than in a mobile home park, the lot size, setback,
sewer and water requirements shall be the same as for a single-family
home, and in addition, placement and base enclosure requirements shall
be the same as for mobile homes placed in mobile home parks.
[Amended 9-3-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-06]
A.
Responsibilities of the park management.
(1)
The person to whom a license for a mobile home park
is issued shall operate the park in compliance with this article and
shall provide adequate supervision to maintain the park, its facilities
and equipment in good repair and in a clean and sanitary condition.
(2)
The park management shall supervise the placement
of each mobile home on its mobile home lot which includes securing
its stability and installing all utility connections.
(3)
The park management shall give the Township Building
Inspector or other authorized Township representative free access
within reason to all mobile home lots, service buildings and other
community service facilities for inspection purposes.
(4)
The management shall maintain a register containing
the names of all park occupants. Such register shall be available
to any authorized person inspecting the park. The management shall
notify the appropriate officer in accordance with the state and local
taxation laws of the arrival and departure of each mobile home.
B.
Removal of mobile homes. No mobile home, whether installed
on a single lot or in a mobile home park, shall be removed from the
Township without first obtaining a permit from the Township Tax Collector
as required by Act of the General Assembly of July 8, 1969, P.L. 130,
Section 1. Such permit shall be issued upon payment of a fee as required
by the fee schedule currently in force in the Township, and any real
estate tax assessed against the home and unpaid at the time the permit
is requested.
A.
Notices. Whenever the Township Supervisors or other
authorized Township representative determines that there are reasonable
grounds to believe that there has been a violation of any provision
of this article, or of any regulation adopted pursuant thereto, such
authority shall give notice of such alleged violation to the person
to whom the permit, and/or certificate of license was issued, as hereinafter
provided. Such notice shall:
(1)
Be in writing.
(2)
Include a statement of reasons for its issuance.
(3)
Allow a reasonable time for the performance of any
act it requires.
(4)
Be served upon the owner or his agent as the case
may require; provided, however, that such notice or order shall be
deemed to have been properly served upon such owner or agent when
a copy thereof has been served with such notice by any other method
authorized or required by the laws of this state.
[Amended 9-3-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-06]
(5)
Contain an outline of remedial action which, if taken,
will effect compliance with the provisions of this article, or any
part thereof, and with the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.
B.
Revocation of license. In addition to the provisions and penalties for violations as given in §§ 86-67 and 86-68 of this article, the Township may give reasonable notice for the remedying of violations and if such violations are not remedied within the prescribed period of time, the Township may declare the license revoked.
