[Ord. 512, 3/26/1990; § 14-7]
The following provisions are hereby stated to be the conditions
under which any land development involving mobile home parks shall
be processed and constructed.
[Ord. 512, 3/26/1990, § 14-7.1]
1. Surface Water. The ground surface in all parts of the development
shall be graded and equipped to drain all surface water in a safe,
efficient manner. The velocity of runoff during and after development
shall not exceed 1.5 feet per second as required by Chapter 102, Section
102.22(c), of the Erosion Control Rules and Regulations published
by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, July 1,
1973, and as subsequently amended.
2. Ponds and Retention Structures. Surface water collectors and other
bodies of standing water capable of breeding mosquitoes and other
insects shall be eliminated or controlled in a manner approved by
the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources.
3. Wastewater. Wastewater from any plumbing fixture or sanitary sewer
line shall not be deposited upon the ground surface in any part of
a mobile home development or the surrounding properties.
4. An initial deposit of $250 shall be required at the time of submission
of preliminary subdivision and/or land development plans, which fee
will be applied against the engineering and legal fees incurred. Periodic
billings shall be made based upon the actual cost of review, and these
bills must be paid within 30 days of submittal. No final approval
of any plan shall be given until all necessary fees have been paid
in full. In the event that any bills for engineering, legal or other
services is rendered and not paid within 30 days, whether before or
after the final approval of a subdivision, interest shall be added
to said bill at the rate of 1.5% per month.
[Ord. 512, 3/26/1990, § 14-7.2]
Park grounds shall be maintained free of vegetative growth which
may harbor rodents or insects or other pests harmful to man.
[Ord. 512, 3/26/1990, § 14-7.3]
1. No mobile home shall be erected in a mobile home lot except upon
a mobile home pad.
2. Each mobile home pad shall have a minimum dimension of 60 feet by
12 feet.
3. Each mobile home pad shall have a paved access to a street in the
mobile home park.
4. The pad shall be constructed from either concrete, asphalt concrete
or other material sufficient to adequately support the mobile home
to prevent abnormal settling or heaving under the weight of the home.
The corners of the mobile home shall be anchored to prevent wind overturn
and rocking, with tie downs such as concrete dead men, screw augers,
arrowhead anchors or other devices suitable to withstand a tension
of at least 2,800 pounds.
5. In any event, minimum installation shall be as contained in the National
Fire Protection Association, Publication No. 501A, Standards for the
Installation of Mobile Homes.
[Ord. 512, 3/26/1990, § 14-7.4]
The area between ground level and the perimeter of the mobile
home shall be enclosed be means of a skirting of wood, aluminum or
other similar material.
[Ord. 512, 3/26/1990, § 14-7.5]
1. General Requirements. A safe and convenient vehicular access shall
be provided for abutting public streets or roads. Gridiron layouts
and street patterns unrelated to the topography of the site are to
be avoided.
2. Access and Internal Streets. Access to internal streets of mobile
home parks shall be designed to minimize congestion and hazards at
the entrance or exit and allow free movement of traffic on adjacent
streets. Internal streets not intended to be dedicated shall have
a minimum road pavement width of 20 feet with a four-foot shoulder,
provided that parking is prohibited on both sides.
3. Intersections. Within 50 feet of an intersection, streets shall be
at approximately right angles. A distance of at least 200 feet shall
be maintained between center lines of offset intersecting streets.
Intersections of more than two streets at one point shall be avoided.
4. Unless otherwise provided in this Part, streets shall be in conformance with the standards for public streets of Part
5 of this chapter.
[Ord. 512, 3/26/1990, § 14-7.6]
1. General Requirements. All mobile home developments shall provide
safe, convenient, all-season pedestrian walkways of adequate width
for intended use, durable and convenient to maintain, between individual
mobile homes, mobile home development streets, all community facilities
provided for the residents and off-site pedestrian traffic generators,
such as schools, bus stops, commercial tenders, etc. These pedestrian
walkways may parallel vehicular roadways, where they shall only be
required on one side, or they may form a separate but coordinated
system away from streets. Walkways must be provided wherever pedestrian
traffic is concentrated and where school children congregate but may
be waived elsewhere if the applicant successfully demonstrates a lack
of need.
2. Common Walk System. Where a common walk system is provided and maintained
between locations, such common walks shall have a minimum width of
four feet. Where these walks parallel roadways, they shall be separated
from the road pavement by a distance of at least four feet.
3. Individual Walks. All dwellings shall be connected to common walks
to streets or to driveways or parking spaces connecting to a paved
street. Such individual walks shall have a minimum width of two feet.
[Ord. 512, 3/26/1990, § 14-7.7]
Off street parking shall be provided in accordance with §
27-1410 of the Zoning Ordinance [Chapter
27] and the construction requirements for parking areas as stipulated in this chapter.
[Ord. 512, 3/26/1990, § 14-7.8]
1. Public sewage shall be required in all mobile home parks and shall
be approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources
and the Department of Health and be consistent with the Municipal
Authority Sewerage Facilities Plan.
2. Each mobile home lot shall be provided with a sewer riser pipe at
least four inches in diameter. The sewer riser pipe shall be so located
on each mobile home pad that the sewer connection to the mobile home
drain will be in an approximate rational position. A sewer riser pipe
is that portion of the sewer lateral which extends vertically from
the ground elevation to the mobile home site.
3. The sewer connection shall be in accordance with the West Norriton Township Plumbing Code [Chapter
5].
4. Provisions shall be made for plugging the sewer riser pipe when a
mobile home does not occupy the lot. Surface drainage shall be diverted
from the riser. The rim of the riser pipe shall extend at least six
inches above ground elevation.
[Ord. 512, 3/26/1990, § 14-7.9]
1. Every mobile home park shall contain an electrical wiring system
consisting of wiring, fixtures, equipment and appurtenances with total
electric power company specifications regulating such systems.
2. Power Distribution Lines.
A. All utility lines shall be installed underground.
B. All direct burial conductors or cable shall be buried at least 18
inches below the ground surface and shall be insulated and specifically
designed for the purpose, as required by the Philadelphia Electric
Company and the Middle Department Underwriters.
3. 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 120/240 volts AC,
100 amperes.
4. Ground Required. All exposed non-current-carrying metal parts of
mobile homes and all other equipment shall be grounded by means of
an approved grounding conductor, run with branch circuit conductors
and other approved methods of grounded metallic wiring. The neutral
conductor shall not be used as an equipment ground for mobile homes
or other equipment.
[Ord. 512, 3/26/1990, § 14-7.10]
1. Liquefied Petroleum Gas Systems. Liquefied petroleum gas systems
provided for mobile homes and mobile home parks, service buildings
or other structures, when installed in mobile home parks, shall be
maintained in conformity with the Standards for the Storage and Handling
of Liquefied Petroleum Gases, National Fire Protection Association,
NFPA No. 58 and American National Standards Institute, ANSI No. 2106.01)
and to NFPA No. 501A, Standards for Mobile Home Parks.
A. The systems shall be provided with safety devices to relieve excessive
pressures and shall be arranged so that the discharge terminates at
a safe location.
B. The 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 an effective operating condition.
C. All liquefied petroleum gas piping outside the mobile home shall
be well supported and protected against mechanical injury. Undiluted
liquefied petroleum gas in liquid form shall not be conveyed through
piping equipment and systems in the mobile home.
D. Vessels of more than 12 United States gallons gross capacity must
be secured, but not permanently fastened, to prevent accidental overturning.
E. No liquefied petroleum gas vessel shall be stored or located inside
or beneath any mobile home or other structure.
2. Fuel Oil Supply Systems.
A. All fuel oil supply systems provided for mobile homes shall be installed
and maintained in conformity with the rules and regulations of the
National Fire Protection Association Standard, NFPA No. 31.
B. All piping from outside fuel storage tanks or cylinders to mobile
homes shall be securely, but not permanently, fastened in place.
C. All fuel oil supply systems provided for mobile homes shall have
shutoff valves located within five inches of storage tanks.
D. All fuel storage tanks or cylinders shall be securely placed and
shall be not less than five feet from any mobile home exit.
E. Storage tanks located in areas subject to traffic shall be protected
against physical damage.
[Ord. 512, 3/26/1990, § 14-7.11]
Adequate provisions shall be made in the mobile home park for
lighting of the streets. Lighting facilities for parking areas and
any other deemed necessary for the safety and convenience to the mobile
home park residents shall be required. All lighting facilities shall
be so designed and arranged in a manner which will protect the highway
and neighboring properties, whether contiguous or not, from unreasonable
glare or hazardous interference of any kind.
[Ord. 512, 3/26/1990, § 14-7.12]
All provisions, regulations and procedures provided in this
chapter shall apply to mobile home parks, and no such park shall be
opened or constructed without full compliance with same. In addition
thereto, the following regulations shall apply:
1. Site Design.
A. Arrangement of Structures and Facilities. The tract, including mobile
home stands, patios, other dwellings and structures, and all tract
improvements shall be organized in relation to topography, the shape
of the plot and the shape, size and position of structures and common
facilities. Special attention shall be given to new mobile home designs
and to common appurtenances that are available.
B. Adaption to Tract Assets. Each mobile home unit or other dwelling
or structure shall be fitted to the terrain with a minimum disturbance
of the land and minimum elevation difference between the floor level
of the unit and the ground elevation under it. Existing trees and
shrubs, rock formations, streams, floodplains, steep slopes and other
natural features of the tract shall be preserved to the maximum extent
practical. Favorable views shall be emphasized by the plan.
C. Courts and Spaces. Groups or clusters of units so placed as to create
interior spaces and courtyards shall be incorporated whenever feasible.
D. Orientation. Mobile homes are encouraged to be arranged in a variety
of orientations and are strongly encouraged to have many units with
their long sides facing the street rather than their ends, in order
to provided variety and interest. Site layout shall be designed to
ensure that mobile home units are offset to block long uninterrupted
vistas between the units.
2. Common Open Space. In addition to the requirements of the West Norriton Township Zoning Ordinance [Chapter
27], the following regulations shall also apply:
A. Arrangement. The common space shall be designed as a contiguous area
unless the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the West
Norriton Township Board of Commissioners that two or more separate
areas would be preferable. The open space shall also have easily identifiable
pedestrian and visual accessibility to all residents of the mobile
home development, although all units do not have to abut the common
open space.
3. Buffers.
A. General Requirements. Along all exterior property boundary lines except those which abut another mobile home development, there shall be a permanent buffer at least 10 feet in depth, unless this is waived pursuant to §
22-713, Subsection
3D, below. A screen buffer (as defined herein) shall be provided wherever the mobile home development abuts existing residential uses, with the exception of high-rise structures, and where abutting other types of uses when deemed necessary by the Board of Commissioners to provide sufficient buffering and transition. A softening buffer (as defined herein) shall be provided wherever the mobile home development abuts existing high-rise residential uses, existing commercial, office, industrial and institutional uses; any existing street (as modified by §
22-713, Subsection
3C, below), drive or parking area; or open (not wooded) undeveloped land. An open buffer shall be provided wherever the mobile home development abuts wooded, undeveloped land or where more extensive buffers are deemed unnecessary by the Board of Commissioners.
B. Components. The minimum component of each type of buffer shall be
as follows:
(1)
Screen Buffer. The primary components of a screen buffer shall
be a row of evergreen trees, at a height of not less than six feet
when planted, spaced not more than 10 feet apart on center, and these
trees shall be of such species to attain a height at maturity of not
less than 20 feet. Also required as a secondary component of the buffer
is one of the following: mounding (the use of which is encouraged),
provided that the slopes shall be a maximum of three to one, visually
opaque fencing not greater than six feet in height and coniferous
shrubbery. Any combination of evergreen trees, coniferous shrubs,
mounding, fencing or other natural vegetation or man-made materials
is allowable, provided that an effective visual screen at least 15
feet in height above the adjacent ground elevation in the mobile home
development is achieved within a reasonable time. But whenever only
vegetation is used, there shall be at least a double row of evergreen
trees, with the trees in one row offset five feet from the trees in
the other row and the rows at least five feet apart.
(2)
Softening Buffer. The primary component of a softening buffer
shall be a row of trees, spaced not more than 25 feet apart on center,
at least 25% of which shall be evergreens. The evergreen trees shall
be at least six feet in height when planted and shall attain at least
20 feet in height at maturity. Any deciduous trees shall be at least
1-1/2 inches in caliper and eight feet in height when planted and
shall attain a height of not less than 20 feet at maturity. These
trees shall be interspersed with other allowable components, including
any other type of trees, shrubs, mounding, fencing and/or similar
natural or man-made elements having a visible vertical dimension,
or any combination thereof.
(3)
Open Buffer. The open buffer shall, at a minimum, consist of
grass, ground cover and/or similar vegetative material and may include
trees, shrubs or other natural or man-made landscaping materials,
but it shall be mostly vegetative with minimal paved areas, if any.
C. Street Boundaries. Rather than the extensive buffers described in §
22-713, Subsection
3B(2), above, the use of a single row of deciduous trees at least eight feet in height when planted and at least 20 feet in height at maturity, with a spacing of not more than 40 feet on center, may be provided along all property boundaries which abut a street, wherever necessary for adequate sight distance or where the Board of Commissioners determines this to be a sufficient buffer to protect the welfare and safety of the community.
D. Existing Buffers. In cases where an edge(s) of a development occurs
along natural features which function as buffers, including but not
limited to mature vegetation, significant grade changes or stream
valleys, which are likely to be permanently preserved, buffering may
be waived along that edge(s) upon approval of the Board of Commissioners.
E. Maintenance. All vegetation shall be maintained permanently and,
in the event of death or other destruction, shall be replaced within
one year by the persons responsible for maintenance when death or
destruction occurred.
F. Buffer Landscape Plan. A landscaping plan shall be submitted with
the final plans, showing all pertinent information, including the
location, size and species of all individual trees and shrubs to be
preserved or planted or, alternately, the general characteristics
of existing vegetation masses which are to be preserved.
[Ord. 512, 3/26/1990, § 14-7.13]
As used in this Part, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
ANCHORING
The fastening of the mobile home to its mobile home stand
in order to prevent upset or damage due to wind, erosion, flooding
or other natural forces.
HITCH
A device which is part of the frame or attaches to the frame
of a mobile home and connects it to a power source for the purpose
of transporting the unit.
MOBILE HOME STAND
That part of an individual lot which has been reserved and
prepared for the placement of the mobile home.