[Ord. 3-98, 3/3/1998, § 301; as amended by Ord.
1B-12, 5/1/2012, § 3]
1. Application. All parks, as defined in Part
2 hereof, shall conform with the provisions of this section. Applications for such developments shall be filed in accordance with Part
4 hereof. Detailed plans for the park development shall be submitted with the application for the park permit. These plans shall include all specifications as applicable to meet the criteria of this chapter. The plan shall include the following:
A. The plan shall be at a scale of not more than 100 feet to the inch.
C. North point, scale and date of preparation.
2. Minimum Park Area. A park shall have a gross area of at least one
acre of contiguous land.
3. Site Location. The location of all homes and parks shall comply with
the following minimum requirements:
A. Free from adverse influences by swamps, marshes, garbage or rubbish
disposal areas or other potential breeding places for insects or rodents.
B. Not subject to flooding, steep slopes, poor surface drainage, poor
soils and other severe environmental limitations.
C. Not subject to a hazard or nuisance, such as excessive noise vibrations,
smoke, toxic matter, radiation, heat, odor or glare.
4. Site Drainage Requirements.
A. The ground surface in all parts of every park shall be graded and
equipped to drain all surface water in a safe, efficient manner.
B. Surface water collectors and other bodies of standing water capable
of breeding mosquitoes and other insects shall be controlled in a
manner approved by the health authorities.
C. Waste water from any plumbing fixture or sanitary sewer line shall
not be deposited upon the ground surface in any part of a park.
5. Soil and Ground Cover Requirements.
A. Exposed ground surfaces in all parts of every park shall be paved
or covered with stone screening or other solid material or protected
with a vegetative growth that is capable of preventing soil erosion
and the emanation of dust during dry weather.
B. Park grounds shall be maintained free of vegetation growth which
is poisonous or which may harbor rodents, insects or other pests harmful
to man.
6. Park Areas for Nonresidential Uses. No part of any park shall be
used for nonresidential purposes, except such uses that are required
for the direct servicing and well-being of park residents and for
the management and maintenance of the park.
7. Required Setbacks, Buffer Strips and Screening.
A. All homes located adjacent to park boundaries are subject to the setback requirements of the Richmond Township Zoning Ordinance [Chapter
27]. No home shall be placed closer than 15 feet to a park street.
B. All parks located adjacent to industrial or commercial land uses
shall be required to provide screening such as fences or natural growth
along the property boundary line separating the park and such adjacent
nonresidential use.
8. Erection and Placement of Mobile Homes and RVs.
A. Except as otherwise restricted, no home or other structure may be
placed closer than 10 feet from the lot boundary.
B. Skirting of manufacturer's approved design and material shall
be erected around the entire base of each home. Such enclosure shall
provide sufficient ventilation to inhibit decay and deterioration
of the structure.
C. The hitch of each home, if not removed, shall be enclosed in a manner
to prevent injury except RVs.
9. Park Street System.
A. General Requirements. A safe and convenient vehicular access shall
be provided from abutting public streets or roads. Traveled roadways
shall be maintained in the following widths:
(1)
Large Parks. Twenty-four feet.
(2)
Small Parks. Eighteen feet.
B. Access. The entrance road, or area, connecting the park with a public
street or road shall be at right angles to the existing public highway
or street. A clear sight distance of at least 300 feet in both directions
shall be afforded the driver of a vehicle prior to entering the public
street or highway. There shall be no more than two points of entrance/exit
for any park on the same road or highway.
C. Internal Streets. Surfaced roadways shall be of adequate width to
accommodate anticipated traffic and shall meet the following minimum
requirements:
(1)
The traveled roadway shall not be less than the road width specified in Subsection
9A. If parking is allowed on the streets, the adjacent parking area on the side of the street on which parking is allowed shall be of sufficient size to maintain the road width clearance of the traveled roadway.
(2)
Cul-de-sac streets shall be kept at a minimum, and shall be
provided at the closed end with a turn-around which shall have an
outside roadway diameter of at least 100 feet.
(3)
Hammerheads shall have a longitudinal measurement in the hammerhead
of not less than 70 feet (35 feet each side from the center line of
the access roadway) in large parks, and 44 feet (22 feet each side
from the center line of the access roadway) in small parks. Each arm
of the hammerhead shall be a minimum of 28 feet in width, except if
off street parking is provided, i.e., no parking in the hammerhead,
the width shall be a minimum of 18 feet. If the hammerhead is used
for parking, the width shall be increased by 20 feet for each lot
in excess of two.
D. Street Construction and Design Standards.
(1)
Streets. All streets shall be surfaced in accordance with Richmond
Township specifications applicable to streets in conventional residential
developments.
(2)
Grades. Grades of all streets shall be sufficient to ensure
adequate surface drainage, but shall be not more than 8%. Short runs
with a maximum grade of 15% may be permitted; provided, traffic safety
is assured by appropriate surfacing and adequate leveling areas.
(3)
Intersections. Within 100 feet of an intersection, streets shall
be at approximately right angles. A distance of at least 150 feet
shall be maintained between center lines of offset intersecting streets.
Intersections of more than two streets at one point shall be avoided.
(4)
Street Plans. A plan of the streets shall be provided with the
application for the park permit for large parks.
10. Off-Street Parking Areas. Where no on-street parking is provided,
there shall be off-street parking for at least two motor vehicles
on each lot, and off-street parking areas for additional vehicles
of park occupants and guests. Said parking lot spaces shall be a minimum
width of 10 feet and a minimum length of 20 feet per motor vehicle.
One off-street parking space shall be constructed and maintained by
the park management per lot in a common parking facility designed
specifically for the storage of such things as boats, recreational
vehicles, snowmobiles, etc. RV parks are excluded.
11. Walks. RV parks are excluded.
A. General Requirements. All parks shall provide safe, convenient, all-season
pedestrian access of adequate width for intended uses, durable and
convenient to maintain, between individual homes, the park streets
and all community facilities provided for park residents. Sudden changes
in alignment and gradient shall be avoided.
B. Common Walks System. Where pedestrian traffic is concentrated and
a common walk system is provided, such common walks shall have a minimum
width of 3 1/2 feet.
C. Individual Walks. All lots shall be constructed with individual walks
to common walks or to streets, or to driveways or parking spaces connecting
to a paved street. Such individual walks shall have a minimum width
of two feet.
12. Construction of Mobile Home Park and RV Lots.
A. Lots within the park shall have a minimum gross area of 8,000 square
feet, with a minimum width of 55 feet. RV lots to have a minimum gross
area of 1,500 square feet and minimum width of 55 feet.
B. Each lot shall be improved to provide an adequate foundation for
the placement of the home and in such position as to allow a minimum
of 15 feet between the home and the park street which serves the lots.
RV lots should have a stabilized aggregate.
C. No lot shall contain more than one home or RV nor more than one family.
D. In an existing park, any lot not meeting the specifications of this
chapter must remain vacant once an occupant thereof has vacated the
park with a termination of rental or lease payments. If any lot is
unoccupied at the time of enactment of this chapter, it must conform
before use.
13. Open Area. In large parks a landscaped open area or areas shall be
maintained within the park for the use of all park residents. Said
area shall be equal to 7% of the total land area of the park. No such
area shall be located adjacent to a thoroughfare for vehicular traffic
unless the entire length of such adjacency shall be protected with
a suitable barrier (such as a chain link fence) no less than four
feet in height. Responsibility for maintenance of the open areas shall
be with the park owner. Should the park owner neglect to maintain
the designated open area as depicted on the plan, the Township may
revoke the permit of the park after giving the park owner notice of
such action 60 days prior to the revocation.
14. Refuse Disposal. The storage, collection and disposal of refuse in
the park shall be so managed as to create no health hazards, rodent
harborage, insect-breeding areas, accidental fire or air pollution.
All refuse shall be stored in flytight, water-tight, rodent-proof
containers.
A. If the park utilizes community refuse disposal, sites shall be provided
at locations which are not more than 200 feet from any stand and no
less than 50 feet from a park boundary. Containers shall be provided
in sufficient number and capacity to properly store all refuse. Community
refuse disposal sites shall be screened or fenced, and constructed
with a minimum six-inch thick poured concrete slab over a minimum
six-inch stone base. Small parks are exempt.
B. All refuse shall be collected at least once weekly.
15. Exterior Lighting.
A. Large Parks. Streets, access drives, driveways and walkways shall
be lighted at night. Lighting fixtures shall be so spaced and so equipped
as to provide adequate levels of illumination throughout the park
for the safe movement of vehicles and pedestrians. Lighting fixtures
shall be shielded to avoid glare on adjacent properties and streets.
The minimum height of street lighting units shall be 18 feet. The
park owner shall be responsible for the park exterior lighting.
B. Small Parks. Exterior lighting shall be the responsibility of the
lot lessee as they deem necessary.
[Ord. 3-98, 3/3/1998, § 302]
1. General Requirements. The area of the stand shall be improved to
provide adequate support for the placement of the mobile homes.
A. The stand shall not heave, shift or settle unevenly under the weight
of the home due to frost action, inadequate drainage, vibration or
other forces acting on the structure.
B. A stand area shall be prepared by removing the topsoil and grading
to slope of not more than 1/2% in any direction. The soil in the area
of a stand must be capable of supporting the weight of a home and
must not be alluvial or highly organic.
[Ord. 3-98, 3/3/1998, § 303]
1. General Requirements.
A. All utilities, except for personal service of fuel oil or liquefied
petroleum gas, shall be placed underground. Water and sewer facilities
must be in separate trenches no closer than 24 inches apart. Water
lines shall be at a depth to be below frostline.
B. Construction of all utility facilities shall be in accordance with
the requirements of the public utility furnishing the utilities, the
Department of Environmental Protection or any other state or local
law, regulation or ordinance, whichever is more restrictive.
C. Park design shall be such as to minimize the crossing of utility
lines. Where such may occur, appropriate conduit of five feet in length
must be utilized, as necessary, on the flexible element. Example,
electric crossing sewer, electric must have conduit.
2. Water Supply.
A. General Requirements. An adequate supply of water shall be provided
for homes, service buildings and other accessory facilities as required
by this chapter. 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. Where a satisfactory
public water system is not available, the development of a private
water supply system shall be in accordance with the DEP community
system design standards, any amendments or replacements thereof, and
approved by the DEP and/or other authorities, including the designated
township officer, having jurisdiction.
B. Sources of Supply.
(1)
The water supply shall be capable of supplying a minimum of
150 gallons per day per mobile home.
(2)
The well or suction line of the water supply system shall be
located and constructed in such a manner that no contamination will
reach the water supply from any source.
(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, or by sump if below
ground.
(4)
Water supply treatment, if necessary, shall be in accordance
with the requirements of the applicable health authority.
(5)
Water lines providing service to the water riser pipes shall
not be placed where they will at any time be underneath a stand.
C. Individual Water Riser Pipes and Connections.
(1)
Individual water riser pipes shall be located within the confined
area of the stand, at a point where the water connection will approximate
a vertical position, thereby insuring the shortest water connection
possible and decreasing susceptibility to water pipe freezing.
(2)
The water riser pipe shall have an inside diameter of not less
than 1/2 inch and terminate at least four inches above the ground
surface. The water outlet shall be provided with a cap when a 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
thawing actions of the ground during freezing weather. Surface drainage
shall be diverted from the location of the riser pipe.
(4)
A shut-off valve below the frostline shall be provided for each
lot supply. Placement of this shut-off valve shall be such that access
is not underneath a trailer occupying the lot. Stop and waste valves
are prohibited unless the type of manufacture and the method of installation
are approved by the Board of Supervisors.
3. Sewage Disposal.
A. General Requirements. An adequate and safe sewerage system shall
be provided in all parks for conveying and disposing of sewage from
homes, service buildings and other accessory facilities. Such system
shall be designed, constructed and maintained in accordance with DEP
and/or local health regulations, whichever is more restrictive.
B. Sewage Treatment and/or Discharge. Where the sewer lines of the park
are not connected to a public sewer, all proposed sewage disposal
facilities shall be approved by the DEP prior to construction.
C. Sewer Lines. All sewer lines shall be located in trenches of sufficient
depth to be free of breakage from traffic, frost heavage or other
movements and shall be isolated from the park water supply system.
All sewer lines shall be constructed of materials approved by the
DEP and shall have water tight joints. The slope of any sewage piping
shall be not less then 1/4 inch per foot.
D. Individual Sewer Connections.
(1)
Each lot shall be provided with sewer facilities with a minimum
of three-inch diameter pipe. Piping shall be in such a position that
the sewer riser pipe is located underneath the mobile home in a generally
central location.
(2)
Provision shall be made for capping the sewer riser pipe when
a home does not occupy the lot. The rim of the sewer riser pipe shall
extend at least one inch above the finished surface of the stand.
4. Electrical Distribution Systems.
A. General Requirements. 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 regarding such installations.
B. Secondary Supply Lines. All supply cables shall be enclosed in conduit
or enclosed in a minimum of six inches of sand.
C. Home Supply Lines. The entrance cable from the vendor's meter
to the home shall be installed at a minimum of 24 inches in depth.
It shall be capable of supplying 120/240 volts at a minimum of 100
amperes of current, with a minimum voltage loss of 2% at the breaker/fuse
box of the home. If this cable passes underneath a parking area, drive
or other area subject to vehicular traffic, the cable shall be enclosed
in conduit for the distance of the crossing plus two feet on each
side.
D. Temporary Connection. Temporary electrical connections are prohibited.
5. Natural Gas System. Natural gas piping systems shall be installed
and maintained in conformity with accepted engineering practices.
6. Liquefied Petroleum Gas System and Fuel Oil.
A. Systems shall be provided with safety devices, as necessary, to relieve
excessive pressures and shall be arranged so that the discharge is
terminated at a safe location.
B. Systems shall have at least one immediately accessible shut-off device.
Such device shall be maintained in effective operating condition.
C. All piping outside a home shall be well supported and protected against
mechanical injury. Liquid LPG may not be conveyed through piping systems
of the home.
D. All vessels must be securely, but not permanently, fastened to prevent
overturning.
E. No vessel shall be stored or located inside or beneath any storage
cabinet, carport, home or any other structure.
F. No vessel shall be within five feet of any exit from the home.
G. Storage tanks in an area subject to traffic shall be protected against
physical damage.
7. Telephone and Television. If placed in the same excavation as the
electrical service lines, the placement of these utilities must be
in accordance with the requirements of the electrical utility provider,
or a minimum radial spacing of 12 inches for both from such electrical
service, whichever is greater.
[Ord. 3-98, 3/3/1998, § 304; as amended by Ord.
1B-12, 5/1/2012, § 4]
1. Local Regulations. The park area shall be subject to the rules and
regulations of the Township of Richmond fire prevention authority
where provided.
2. Litter Control. The park area shall be kept free of all litter, rubbish
and flammable materials.
3. Fire Extinguishers. Portable fire extinguishers of a type and size
approved by the fire prevention authority shall be kept in public
service buildings under park control when the park is not serviced
by fire hydrants. These extinguishers shall be inspected by the appropriate
authority on an annual basis.
4. Fire Hydrants. Fire hydrants shall be installed if their water supply
source is capable of serving them in accordance with the following
and small parks are exempt:
A. The water source shall permit the operation of a minimum of two,
1 1/2 inch hose streams.
B. Each of two nozzles shall deliver at least 75 gallons of water per
minute at a flowing pressure of at least 30 pounds per square inch
at the highest point of the park.
C. Fire hydrants, if provided, shall be located within 600 feet of any
home, service building or other structure in the park and shall be
installed in accordance with Township specifications.
[Ord. 3-98, 3/3/1998, § 305; as amended by Ord.
1B-12, 5/1/2012, § 5]
1. Reasonable storage facilities shall be permitted on each lot in the
park, with size and design administered by park management. Administration
of this section by park management shall not be performed in such
a manner as to be construed as a restraint of trade.
2. Such facilities shall not obstruct any home opening for light and
ventilation, shall not inhibit inspection of equipment and utility
connections, shall be located at least 10 feet from any lot line,
unless the lot line is the park boundary then setback regulations
apply, at least four feet from the home, and shall not be located
in the front yard of any lot.
3. No storage is allowed on small RV lots unless lot size is increased.
[Ord. 3-98, 3/3/1998, § 306; as amended by Ord.
1B-12, 5/1/2012, § 6]
1. Requirements. If the park owner, or management, rents homes to park
occupants, and those homes lack washer and dryer laundry facilities
for the occupants' use, management shall provide and maintain
such units as a community service facility, in a central location
within the park on the basis of one pair of such units for each 10
homes, or fraction thereof, so rented.
2. Applicability. The requirements of this section shall apply to service
buildings, recreational buildings and other community service facilities
when constructed, such as:
A. Management offices, repair shops and storage areas.
D. Commercial uses supplying essential goods or services for the exclusive
use of park occupants.
3. Structural Requirements for Buildings.
A. The community service facility shall contain both male and female
sanitary facilities. Walls and partitions of the building shall be
constructed of nonabsorbent, water-resistant materials or covered
with moisture resistant material. Walls of the sanitary facilities
shall contain sound absorbent material and have at least one window
facing directly to the outdoors. Each facility shall be provided with
a mechanical device which will adequately ventilate the room. Windows
shall be of a type and size to be used as an emergency escape route
from the facilities.
B. Toilets compartments shall be equipped with self-closing doors. If
more than one toilet, there shall be separate compartments.
4. Use of Service and Accessory Buildings. Service and accessory buildings
shall be used only by the occupants of the park and their registered
visitors.
[Ord. 3-98, 3/3/1998, § 307; as amended by Ord.
1B-12, 5/1/2012, § 7]
1. Responsibilities of the Park Management.
A. The person to whom a permit for a park is issued shall operate the
park in compliance with this chapter and shall provide adequate supervision
to maintain the park, its facilities, and equipment in good repair
and in a clean and sanitary condition.
B. The park management shall supervise the placement of each home on
its lot which includes securing its stability and installing all utility
connections.
C. The park management shall give any authorized officer free access
to all lots, service buildings and other community service facilities
for the purpose of inspection.
D. The park management shall maintain a register containing the names
of all occupants. This register shall contain the name and prior address
of owner and occupants (forwarding address for past occupants), dates
of entrance and departure and the lot number upon which such home
is located. Such register shall be available to any authorized person
inspecting the park. The management shall notify the appropriate officer,
in accordance with state and local taxation laws, of the arrival and
departure of each home.
2. Removal of Mobile Home. No home, whether installed in a park or not,
shall be removed from the Township without first obtaining a tax release
form from the Richmond Township tax collector. Such form shall be
issued upon payment of a fee, as established from time to time by
resolution of the Board of Supervisors, and real estate taxes assessed
against the home and unpaid at the time the release form is requested.
3. Matters Not Addressed. Any item relating to parks and/or homes not
specifically addressed by these regulations must be approved in advance
by the Richmond Township Board of Supervisors.
4. Venting of Clothes Dryers. Clothes dryers shall not be vented into
the space underneath a home. All venting shall be to the outside of
the skirting via appropriate tubing and vent caps.
5. Sale of Home. Nothing contained in this section shall be deemed as
prohibiting the sale of a home located on a lot and connected to utilities.
6. Recreational Vehicles. No recreational vehicle may be used as a permanent
or semi-permanent residence in lieu of a mobile home unless park is
designated as an RV lot.