Township of Lower Moreland, PA Article VIII Mobile Home Parks

[Added 8-16-1989 by Ord. No. 387]

§ 180-80 Applicability.

A. Individual mobile homes. Individual mobile homes may be erected, provided that compliance is made with the Zoning Ordinance,[1] the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (this chapter), the Stormwater Management and Surface Runoff Control Ordinance[2] and all other applicable regulations. Tracts of land may be developed and improved for the purpose of erecting two or more mobile homes, provided that the zoning requirements, all requirements of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and other applicable regulations are met. The following regulations of this article apply solely to mobile home park development.

[1] Editor's Note: See Ch. 208, Zoning.

[2] Editor's Note: See now Ch. 172, Stormwater Management.

B. Mobile home parks. The provisions of this article shall be followed in the development or alteration of all mobile home parks. These regulations are in addition to those set forth in the Zoning Ordinance and other applicable regulations of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance as referenced herein. Compliance with all other regulations of both ordinances is required.

§ 180-81 Application procedure.

A. Conditional use. All applications for mobile home parks shall follow the procedures established in the Zoning Ordinance.[1] No subdivision or land development approval for the construction of a mobile home park shall be granted until the Board of Commissioners has given conditional use approval pursuant to the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance.

[1] Editor's Note: See Ch. 208, Zoning.

B. Subdivision and land development. All mobile home park developments shall follow the procedural requirements of Article III and the application and plan requirements contained in Article IV of this Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance. In addition, the mobile home park development shall be subject to Articles VI and VII regarding required improvements and contracts.

§ 180-82 Additional regulations.

In addition to the design standards of Article V, the following regulations shall apply to all mobile home park developments:

A. Street standards. In those mobile home parks where the internal streets are to be maintained by the mobile home park operator, the following standards shall be adhered to:

(1) Rights-of-way. There shall be an ultimate right-of-way reserved along all streets.

(2) Culs-de-sac. No permanently closed cul-de-sac street shall serve as the sole access to more than 20 mobile home lots or have a length greater than 700 feet.

B. Access limitations. Mobile home lots may have direct access only onto local streets within the mobile home park.

C. Individual walks. All mobile home dwellings shall be connected to common walks or to streets or to driveways or parking spaces connecting to a street. Such individual walks shall have a minimum width of two feet.

D. Parking spaces. Parking spaces shall be located within 150 feet of the mobile home lots for which they are intended.

E. Recreation. Recreation areas and facilities shall be provided to meet the anticipated needs of the mobile home park. Not less than 25% of the required open space area, exclusive of lands within the required buffers, shall be devoted to recreation. Recreation areas shall be of a size, shape and relief that is conducive to active or passive recreation.

F. Buffers. Mobile home park developments shall provide buffering as required by § 180-51. For the purposes of this section, mobile home parks shall be considered "two-family" and "multiple-family" uses.

G. Common buildings. The structure or structures containing the management office and other common facilities shall be conveniently located for the use intended. Consolidation of laundry, recreation, management and other common facilities in a single building and location is encouraged if the single location will adequately serve all mobile home lots.

H. Mobile home stands. A concrete pad, properly graded, placed and compacted so as to be durable and adequate for the support of the maximum anticipated loads during all seasons shall be used for all mobile homes.

I. Anchoring. Every mobile home placed within a mobile home park shall be anchored to the mobile home stand where it is located prior to the unit being occupied or used in any other way or the expiration of seven days, whichever occurs first. The anchoring system shall be designed to resist a wind velocity of 90 miles per hour.

J. Stability. All mobile homes placed within a mobile home park shall, prior to occupancy or other use, be affixed to a mobile home stand in such a way so as to prevent tilting of the unit. No mobile home shall permanently rest on the wheels used to transport the unit.

K. Skirts. All mobile homes placed within a mobile home park shall, prior to occupancy or other use, have skirts installed which shall screen the underside of the mobile home by forming an extension of the vertical exterior walls of the mobile home to cover the entire distance between the bottom of the exterior walls and the ground elevation below. Said skirting shall be designed to complement the appearance of the mobile home and shall be coordinated throughout the mobile home park.

L. Hitch. The hitch or tow bar attached to the mobile home for transport purposes shall be removed and remain removed from the mobile home when it is placed on the mobile home stand.

§ 180-83 Utilities.

A. Water supply.

(1) General requirements. An adequate supply for domestic, auxiliary and firefighting uses shall be provided for all uses included in the mobile home park, including service buildings and accessory facilities.

(2) Water distribution system. All water piping, fixtures and other equipment shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with state and Township regulations as well as those of the servicing utility.

(3) Individual water-riser pipes and connections.

(a) 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.

(b) The water-riser pipe shall have a minimum inside diameter consistent with the standards of the servicing public utility 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.

(c) 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) Fire protection. All mobile home park developments shall be provided with fire hydrants to meet the specifications of Middle States Department Association of Fire Underwriters. In addition, those hydrants shall be in sufficient numbers to be within 600 feet of all existing and proposed mobile homes and other dwellings and structures, measured by way of accessible streets or open space areas.

B. Sewage disposal.

(1) General requirements. An adequate and safe sewerage system shall be provided in all mobile home park developments for conveying and disposing of sewage from dwellings, service buildings and accessory facilities.

(2) Sewer system. All sewer lines shall be located in trenches of sufficient depth to be free of breakage from traffic or other movements and shall be separated from the water supply system. The system shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with all state and Township regulations, as well as those of the servicing utility.

(3) Individual sewer connections.

(a) Each mobile home stand shall be provided with a sewer-riser pipe consistent with the standards of the servicing utility. 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.

(b) The sewer connection shall have an inside diameter and slope as required by the servicing utility or by the Township Engineer. All joints shall be watertight.

(c) All materials used for sewer connections shall be semirigid, corrosive-resistant, nonabsorbent and durable. The inner surface shall be smooth.

(d) Provision shall be made for plugging the sewer-riser pipe when a mobile home does not occupy the lot. Surface drainage shall be diverted away from the riser. The rim of the riser pipe shall extend at least 1/2 inch above ground elevation.

C. Underground utilities. All electric, natural gas, telephone, cable television and any other utility lines shall be placed underground in all mobile home park developments, and each shall have the necessary shutoff valves and other safety requirements normally associated with safe operation. All utility connections shall be appropriately capped for safety purposes whenever a mobile home stand is not occupied.

§ 180-84 Permits and annual licenses.

In mobile home park developments, the following regulations shall apply to the entire development, exclusive of the lots being leased individually:

A. Initial permits. It shall be unlawful for any person or group to construct, alter, extend or operate a mobile home park unless and until that person or group obtains:

(1) A valid permit issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources in the name of the operator for a specified construction, alteration or extension proposed.

(2) A valid permit(s) authorizing construction and initial occupancy issued by the Zoning Officer in the name of the operator, which shall not be issued until a copy of the Department of Environmental Resources permit has been furnished, all permits for water supply and sewage systems have been obtained and all other requirements contained herein have been complied with and the land development plan, as approved by the Board of Commissioners, is recorded with the Recorder of Deeds of Montgomery County.

B. Annual licenses. In addition to the initial permits, the operator of a mobile home park shall apply to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources and to the Zoning Officer on or before January 31 of each year for an annual license to continue operation of the mobile home park. The Zoning Officer shall issue the annual license upon satisfactory proof that the park continues to meet the standards prescribed by state agencies having jurisdiction and the standards of this article and other applicable Township ordinances. The license so issued shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance.

§ 180-85 Fees.

The fee for the initial permits and the annual licenses required for mobile home park developments shall be prescribed by resolution of the Board of Commissioners.

§ 180-86 Inspections.

A. Upon notification to the licensee, manager or person in charge of a mobile home park, the Zoning Officer may inspect a mobile home park development, after due notice, to determine compliance with this article.

B. Upon receipt of the application for annual license and before issuing such annual license, the Zoning Officer shall make an inspection of the mobile home park to determine compliance with this article and other applicable Township ordinances. The Zoning Officer shall thereafter notify the licensee of any instances of noncompliance and shall not issue the annual license until the licensee has corrected all such violations.