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Township of West Norriton, PA
Montgomery County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[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.