1.
Individual mobile homes. Individual mobile homes or manufactured housing, as defined in § 282-201, may be erected on any lot where the use is permitted, provided compliance is made with zoning requirements and all sections of this chapter which apply to subdivisions and development of single-family detached dwellings, and applicable local or federal building codes.
2.
Mobile home parks. The provisions of this article shall be followed in the construction or alteration of all mobile home parks, as defined in § 282-201. These provisions are in addition to other applicable regulations of this chapter. Compliance with the Norristown Zoning Ordinance is also required.
The following site design standards shall apply to mobile home
parks:
1.
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 common facilities. Special attention shall be given
to new mobile home designs and to common appurtenances that are available.
2.
Adaptation 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 a 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.
3.
Courts and spaces. Groups or clusters of units, so placed as to create
interior spaces and courtyards, shall be incorporated whenever feasible.
4.
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 provide variety and interest.
5.
Street layout. Street patterns unrelated to the topography are to
be avoided.
6.
Roadways.
A.
Standards. All municipal standards for the construction of streets
contained in this chapter shall be adhered to for all public streets
in and abutting a mobile home park. In those parks where streets are
to be maintained as private internal streets maintained by the mobile
home park owner or owned and maintained in common by the residents/owners
of the individual lots, the following standards shall apply:
1)
Right-of-way. There shall be an equivalent right-of-way (as defined under "street rights-of-way" in § 282-201) reserved along streets which are designed to function as feeder or collector streets and which connect major exterior roadways, form major internal loops, traverse the majority of the development, or provide access to adjoining parcels of land. No equivalent rights-of-way are required on other streets. On those streets where an equivalent right-of-way is required, parallel parking may be permitted, but perpendicular or angled parking is discouraged.
2)
Pavement. Pavement or cartway width of all residential streets
serving as access to mobile home lots shall be not less than 26 feet.
Pavement may be reduced to no less than 20 feet on a street serving
as access to not greater than 10 mobile home lots where parking is
prohibited along the road and off-street visitor parking is provided
in common areas of at least 300 feet for all dwelling units. One off-street
parking space is required for each three mobile homes.
3)
Grades. Gradients on all residential streets shall not exceed
10%.
4)
Culs-de-sac. A paved turnaround area with a minimum radius of
40 feet shall be provided at the closed end of any cul-de-sac road
serving as a sole access to four or more mobile home lots. No permanently
closed cul-de-sac street shall exceed 500 feet in length or serve
as the only access to more than 20 mobile home lots.
B.
Access limitations. Mobile home lots may have direct access only
onto streets internal to the development. Direct access from a mobile
home lot shall not be permitted onto the streets from which the mobile
home park gains primary access.
C.
Conversions. Any road built as a private road, and later proposed
for conversion to a public road, shall be brought up to the applicable
standards for public streets prior to being dedicated as a public
way, unless this requirement is waived by the governing body subsequent
to determining that compliance with the requirement would have a negative
effect on the mobile home park.
7.
Pedestrian circulation.
A.
General requirements. All mobile home parks 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, all community facilities provided for the
residents, and off-site pedestrian traffic generators, such as schools,
bus stops, commercial centers, 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.
B.
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.
C.
Individual walks. All dwellings shall be connected 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.
In addition to any requirements of the Norristown Zoning Ordinance,
the following regulations shall also apply:
1.
Open space system.
A.
Arrangement. The common space shall be designed as a contiguous area,
unless the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the governing
body 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 park, although all units do not
have to abut the common open space.
B.
Recreation. Recreation areas and facilities shall be provided to
meet the anticipated needs of the residents of the mobile home park.
Not less than 20% of the required open space area, exclusive of lands
within the required buffers, shall be devoted to recreation. Recreation
areas should be of a size, shape, and topography that is conducive
to active and passive recreation, in compliance with applicable zoning
requirements.
2.
Buffers.
A.
General requirements. Along all exterior property boundary lines,
a permanent buffer shall be provided.
B.
Existing buffers. In cases where the property line of a mobile home
park 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 property line with approval of the Norristown
Council upon recommendation of the Norristown Planning Commission.
1.
Ownership. Common open space and roadways shall be offered for dedication
to Norristown or open for public use, through easements or other appropriate
means, in any mobile home park where all lots will be sold or where
the Norristown Council determines those areas to be key elements in
the open space and/or circulation systems of Norristown. In all other
cases, these and other common elements may be retained in private
ownership or may be owned jointly by the residents of the development.
2.
Maintenance. Prior to development plan approval, provisions acceptable
to the Norristown Council and Municipal Solicitor for the maintenance
of all common elements which will not be owned and maintained by a
governmental agency shall be established.
3.
Service building. The structure or structures containing the management
office and other common facilities shall be conveniently located for
the use intended.
1.
Water supply.
A.
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,
in accordance with the Norristown Zoning Ordinance and other applicable
ordinances.
B.
Water distribution system. All water piping, fixtures, and other
equipment shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with state
and local regulations as well as those of the servicing utility.
C.
Individual water riser pipes and connection.
1)
Individual water riser pipes shall be located within the confined
areas 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 consistent
with the standards of the servicing public utility or, in lack thereof,
of the Municipal Engineer 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 pipes 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.
D.
Fire protection. All mobile home parks shall be provided with fire
hydrants to meet the specifications of the National Fire Protection
Association. 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 common areas.
2.
Sewage disposal.
A.
General requirements. An adequate and safe sewerage system shall
be provided in all mobile home parks for conveying and disposing of
sewage from dwellings, service buildings and accessory facilities
in accordance with the state requirements.
B.
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 regulations, as well as
those of the servicing utility.
C.
Individual connections.
1)
Each mobile home shall be have a sewer riser pipe consistent
with the standards of the servicing utility or Municipal Code. The
sewer riser pipe shall be located on each stand to connect vertically
with the mobile home.
2)
The connection shall have an insider diameter and slope as required
by the servicing utility or Municipal Code. All joints shall be watertight.
3)
All material used for sewer connections shall be semirigid,
corrosive-resistant, nonabsorbent and durable. The inner surface shall
be smooth.
4)
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 the ground elevation.
3.
Underground utilities. All electric, natural gas, telephone, cable
television and any other utility lines shall be placed underground
in all mobile home parks, and each shall have the necessary shutoff
valves and other safety requirements normally associated with safe
operations. All utility connections shall be appropriately capped
for safety purposes whenever a mobile home stand is not occupied.
1.
Permits required.
A.
Lots for sale. In those mobile home parks wherein some or all of
the mobile home lots will be sold individually (whether totally fee
simple, fee simple with a homeowners' association, condominium,
or cooperative), no lot to be conveyed shall be developed or mobile
home or other structure placed or constructed thereon until the subdivision
and/or land development plan has properly approved and the proper
building and construction permits have been issued to the lot in accordance
with standard procedures for any building activity in the Municipality
of Norristown. No mobile home or other structure shall be occupied
until a valid occupancy permit has been issued by Norristown.
B.
Lots for lease. In those mobile home parks wherein some or all of
the mobile home lots will be leased, the following regulations shall
apply to the entire development, exclusive of the lots being sold
individually:
1)
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:
a.
Valid permit(s) authorizing construction of initial occupancy
issued by Norristown in the name of the operator. All permits for
water supply and sewage systems shall have been obtained.
b.
Compliance with all other requirements contained herein.
c.
Final approval of the application by the Norristown Council.
2)
Annual licenses. In addition to the initial permits, the operator
of a mobile home park with lots for lease shall apply to Norristown
on or before the first day of each year for an annual license to continue
operation of the mobile home park. Norristown shall issue the annual
license upon satisfactory proof that the park continues to meet the
standards prescribed by the state agencies having jurisdiction and
the standards of this article and other applicable ordinances. The
license so issued shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance.
2.
Fees.
A.
Fees for the initial application and preliminary and final approvals
of any mobile home park shall be set by the Norristown Council.
B.
The fee for the annual license required for mobile home parks having
lots for lease shall be prescribed by regulations of the Norristown
Council and shall be submitted to Norristown with the application
for the annual license.
3.
Inspection.
A.
Upon notification to the licensee, manager or person in charge of
a mobile home park with lots for lease, the Norristown Building Inspector
may inspect a mobile home park after due notice to determine compliance
with this article.
B.
Upon receipt of the application for an annual license and before
issuing such annual license, the Zoning Officer or other designated
representative of the Municipality of Norristown shall make an inspection
of the mobile home park to determine compliance with this article
and other applicable ordinances. The Zoning Officer or other representative
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.
4.
Mobile home inspections. The applicant or developer shall inform
the Municipality when mobile homes are connected to water supply,
sewer, and electrical service to schedule inspection of these connections
and to determine that they are anchored and located in accordance
with this chapter. Norristown will not inspect the mobile home unit
but shall determine if it bears a label indicating that it complies
with the appropriate federal safety standards promulgated by the United
States Department of Housing and Urban Development and Pennsylvania
regulations issued under the Manufactured Housing Construction and
Safety Act.
1.
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.
2.
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 minimum wind velocity of 90 miles per hour.
3.
Stability. All mobile homes placed within a mobile home park shall,
prior to occupancy or other use, be affixed to their mobile home stands
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.
4.
Skirts. All mobile homes placed within a mobile home park shall,
prior to occupancy or other use, have skirts installed for protection
of the utility connections.
5.
Hitch. The hitch or tow bar attached to a mobile home for transport
purposes shall be removed and remain removed from the mobile home
when it is placed on its mobile home stand.
