City of Chillicothe, MO Mobile Homes, Manufactured Homes, Modular Homes and Mobile Home Park Design

[Ord. No. 2000-46 §1(8-01), 4-10-2000; Ord. No. 2012-06 §1, 2-27-2012]

This Article provides for the convenient and orderly placement of mobile homes, as defined in these regulations, within Chillicothe through the use of well designed mobile home parks providing for sanitation, proper drainage, adequate storage, proper skirting and tie downs. Mobile home parks are allowed only in an "R-5" zoning district with a conditional use permit.

Procedures For Obtaining A Permit To Develop A Mobile Home Park. A conditional use permit is required for the construction of a new mobile home park or for an addition to an existing mobile home park. The conditional use permit may be issued by the City Council in "R-5" zones, provided that application for such construction conforms to Subsection (B) through (F) below, and also provided that final certification of compliance with all other State and local regulations be made by the Zoning Administrator as outlined in Subsection (G).

Permit applications shall be submitted to the Zoning Administrator with required fee and shall include the following items.

Letter of application to include name and address of applicant (park management), location and legal description of the proposed mobile home park and proposed timetable for construction of individual phases (geographical areas) of the park.

Specifications list indicating compliance with design standards listed in Subsection (D) and also indicating other features of the proposed facility.

Drawings of the proposed park showing, but not limited to, the following items (three (3) copies each):

An existing site drawing shall be requested by the Planning and Zoning Commission at a scale of not less than 1" = 100' indicating location, size, topography contours (at five (5) foot intervals) and other prominent features (three (3) copies).

Proposed site plan drawn at a scale not less than 1" = 100' indicating the area and dimensions of the tract of land, the number, location and size of all mobile home lots, the location and width of all roadway and walkways and the location and size of recreation areas and public facilities and office buildings and finish grade contour lines shown at no less than five (5) foot intervals.

Utility plans shall include schematic indications of location and directional flow of all water, sewer, gas and oil lines and storm water drainage system (both surface and storm sewer drainage) and the location of electrical telephone lines and central fuel storage systems (three (3) copies).

A landscaping plan shall be requested by the Planning and Zoning Commission which shall include information on or other ground cover areas and other landscaping features which are either existing and are to remain or are to be planted and shall indicate when proposed planting will occur.

Detailed drawing of typical lot or clustering of lots shall indicate minimum front, rear and side yard setbacks of mobile home units and location of storage facilities, sidewalks and parking areas showing all dimensions.

Detailed drawing of typical street cross sections shall indicate crown of street, curb construction, thickness and type of all materials used in street construction and location of sidewalks and utility lines showing all dimensions.

Site Location. Mobile home parks, as legitimate housing developments of medium density, should be located in areas similar to conventional housing of that density. Moreover, mobile home parks, as well as all other new housing developments, should be located within the boundaries of existing utility service areas. Consideration of the site location for mobile home park shall include, but not be limited to, the following criteria:

The park shall only be constructed in those areas which are presently or are programmed to be serviced by the necessary centrally provided public utilities; and

The park shall not be within three hundred (300) feet of land uses which are normally deemed incompatible with residential uses; and

If deemed appropriate and necessary, the applicant shall provide documentation showing that at the proposed park site normal daytime noise levels generated by neighboring land uses do not reach the threshold of hearing impairment (approximately seventy (70) decibels) and/or normal peak noise levels from neighboring land uses do not meet or exceed ninety-five (95) decibels.

Design Standards. The following standards shall not abrogate or minimize other State, County or City regulations and, further, they shall be considered minimal and under certain conditions, the City Council shall attach additional requirements.

Site design. The site design will be reviewed on the basis of the degree to which the site design meets the following criteria:

The site design shall retain the existing terrain, trees, shrubs and rock formations to the extent possible;

Favorable views or outlooks shall be emphasized by the site design;

A rigid gridiron street pattern shall be discouraged;

A single, rigid pattern of unit positioning shall be discouraged;

Individual units should not have direct access to main traffic-bearing streets but, instead, the use of cul-de-sacs, semi-circle drives, etc., is encouraged;

Clustering of a small number of units in order to create usable open space, courtyards, etc., is encouraged;

Open space areas shall be arranged so as to create a variety of interest, avoid visual monotony, provide buffer zones between groups of units and/or various sections of the park and to provide ready access to open space areas by each unit in the park;

There shall be evidence of attempts to reasonably consolidate parking spaces into small lots, central garbage canisters, bulk storage, etc., so as to reduce crowding, increase efficiency, minimize unnecessary duplication and to increase the aesthetic appeal of the park.

Density. It is the intent of these regulations to encourage the provision of self-contained open spaces, recreation areas and usable open spaces within mobile home parks. Therefore, the maximum dwelling unit density shall be computed on the basis of units (lots) per gross acre equal to the densities of the zoning districts in which mobile home parks are located. Following maximum densities shall be complied with:

	Zoning District	Maximum number of mobile home units or zoning district lots per gross acre (including streets, recreation areas, common open spaces, etc.)
	R-5	Minimum lot for each 3,600 square feet
	All other districts	Not permissible

Setbacks, buffer strips and screening.

All mobile homes shall be located at least thirty-five (35) feet from any mobile home park property boundary line abutting upon a public street or highway and at least twenty-five (25) feet from other park property boundary lines.

There shall be a minimum distance of fifteen (15) feet between the mobile home stand and abutting internal streets, but in no case shall there be less than fifty (50) feet between units located on opposite sides of a park street.

Mobile homes shall be separated from each other and from other buildings and structures by at least twelve (12) feet. Structures such as awnings, porches, etc., which are attached to the mobile home shall, for purposes of separation requirements, be considered a part of the mobile home.

All mobile home parks located adjacent to industrial or commercial land uses shall be provided. In addition, a visual barrier, such as fences, natural growth (hedges) or plantings (trees) along the property boundary line separating the park and such adjacent non-residential uses shall be provided. Detailed drawings of such screening shall be included in the landscaping plan indicated in Subsection (B)(3)(d). Such details shall include spacing, species, size of planting, etc.

Ground cover and landscaping requirements. Exposed ground surfaces in all parts of the mobile home park shall be paved or covered with stone screenings or other solid material or protected with a vegetative growth that is capable of preventing soil erosion and eliminating objectionable dust.

Objectionable views, such as laundry drying yards, garbage and trash collection stations and parking areas, should be screened to improve the attractiveness of the park. Visual screens for this purpose shall include wooden fences at least six (6) feet tall, growths of evergreen and/or deciduous trees, hedges, etc.

As cited in Subsection (D), all existing trees should be incorporated into the site design to the extent possible. These trees shall be used to fulfill the other landscaping requirements.

Surface water drainage. The ground surface in all parts of any mobile home park shall be graded and equipped to drain all surface water in a controlled efficient manner. The utility plans shall indicate the method and direction of drainage.

Street system and car parking.

Entrances and emergency exits to mobile home parks shall be designed to minimize congestion and hazards and allow free movement of traffic on adjacent streets. No parking shall be permitted on the park entrance street. Entrance street width shall be at least thirty-four (34) feet and preferably wider, with a center median strip. If only one (1) access is provided, an emergency access should be provided. Emergency exits shall be provided with collapsible-type barriers to prevent through traffic, but allow emergency passage.

Parking requirements. Off-street parking areas or on-street parking lanes shall be provided for the use of park occupants and guests at a minimum of two (2) spaces for each mobile home lot. Such spaces shall be located within one hundred fifty (150) feet of the unit served and off-street parking shall be set back at least as far as the minimum setback for mobile home units. A separate screened storage area is required for the parking of boats, trailers, campers or other similar vehicles.

Street construction and design standards. All streets shall be provided with a smooth, hard and dense surface of concrete or blacktopped, which shall be durable and well drained under normal use and weather conditions. The City shall review street cross section drawings and shall determine that such construction is reasonably durable. Grades of all streets shall be sufficient to insure adequate surface drainage, but shall not be more than ten percent (10%). Within one hundred (100) feet of an intersection, streets shall be at approximately right angles. A distance of at least one hundred fifty (150) feet shall be maintained between centerlines of offset intersection streets. Intersections of more than two (2) streets at one (1) point shall be avoided.

Street names. Street names shall be okayed by the Planning and Zoning Commission and shall conform to the system utilized in the neighborhood where the mobile home park is located and address numbers shall be established by the City Zoning Administrator and/or Planning and Zoning Commission.

Illumination of street system. All streets shall be furnished with lighting units so spaced and equipped with luminaries placed at such mounting heights as will provide an average maintained level of no less than one-tenth (0.1) foot-candle and at potentially hazardous locations, such as major street intersections and steps or ramps, a minimum of three-tenths (0.3) foot-candle.

Walkways. A contiguous common walk system shall be provided and maintained between locations where pedestrian traffic is concentrated and at least on one (1) side of all streets.

Mobile home stands. Mobile home stands shall be constructed of asphalt or concrete so as to provide adequate support for the placement and tie-down of the mobile home unit, thereby securing the superstructure against uplift, sliding, rotation and overturning. Each anchor or tie down shall be able to sustain a minimum tensile strength of two thousand eight hundred (2,800) pounds. The area between any mobile home and the ground shall be surrounded by a skirting of sufficient construction as to be stable and attractive in appearance.

10.

Lot markers. The limits of each mobile home lot shall be clearly marked on the ground by permanent flush markers or other suitable means.

11.

Utilities and easements. The design and construction of all utilities shall be in conformance with all applicable codes and the conditional use permit shall not be in effect until detailed design is certified as outlined in Subsection (G).

Adequate utility easements should be provided and public access must be guaranteed by either granting of public easement over all streets or by filed agreement as in Subsection (G)(4) below.

12.

Community service buildings, such as laundry, recreation, storage, offices, etc., shall be constructed as needed in a permanent manner, subject to City building codes and approval of the Zoning Administrator.

13.

Fuel storage. All fuel oil and petroleum gas containers shall be permanently installed and securely fastened in place and screened or located in a safe location or manner.

Operation And Maintenance.

Permanency of units. No space shall be rented for residential use of a mobile home in any such park except for periods of thirty (30) days or more and no mobile home shall be admitted to any park unless it can be demonstrated that it meets the requirements of State and municipal codes.

Refuse handling. All refuse shall be stored in fly-tight, water-tight, rodent-proof containers which shall be located not more than one hundred fifty (150) feet from any mobile home lot. Containers shall be provided in sufficient number and capacity at regular intervals.

Collection stands shall be provided for all refuse containers and shall be so designed as to prevent spillage and container deterioration and to facilitate cleansing around them. All refuse which contains garbage shall be collected at regular intervals.

Roadways and sidewalks. Roadways and sidewalks shall be maintained in a neat and attractive manner and snow accumulating thereon shall be removed as soon thereafter as it is reasonably practicable in order to insure passage by motor vehicles and pedestrians.

The park management shall operate the park in compliance with this Article and in accordance with the following restrictions:

The park management shall provide adequate supervision to maintain the park, its facilities and equipment in good repair and in a clean and sanitary condition.

Rental of lots within the park shall not be restricted to those renters who have purchased their mobile homes from the owners of the park.

The park management is hereby forbidden to enter a mobile home which he/she does not own on his/her lot without the prior approval of the owner of said mobile home, except in instances of emergency where the mobile home, the lot and/or adjacent property may be damaged.

The park management is hereby forbidden to enter into or upon a rented lot without the prior approval of the lessee, except in instances of emergency which endanger the lot, the mobile home occupying it and/or adjacent property or at reasonable times for necessary repairs.

Development Schedule. Development should proceed in orderly phases and the minimum number of spaces completed and ready for occupancy before first (1st) occupancy is permitted shall be not less than five (5). New parks should be large enough to comprise small "neighborhoods", supporting needed facilities and management. All streets, landscaping and recreation areas of a given development phase shall be constructed within one (1) year of the initial occupancy of said phase.

Final Approval. Upon approval of a conditional use permit by the City Council resolution, an applicant should commence preparation of detailed drawings which are necessary for acquisition of other State and local permits. The Zoning Administrator will issue a conditional use permit upon the approval of the Council and construction may commence only after receiving certification that the following are accomplished:

All required State of Missouri permits and licenses are received by the applicant.

The City Fire Department has reviewed and approved planned provisions of all hydrants, extinguishers and other fire prevention equipment as well as central fuel storage facilities.

Required utility easements have been established.

Public access over streets and pathways is guaranteed by either:

Establishment of public easements over all roadways and pathways, or

An agreement being filed with the title to the property, such agreement running with the land and stating that the roadways and pathways shall have access by the public and that no means of denying ingress or egress from such roadway or pathway shall be utilized.

A corporate surety (performance) bond, as approved by the City Attorney, may be required by the City and, if required, shall be executed and filed with the Zoning Administrator, such bond to be executed by a corporate surety authorized to transact business in the State of Missouri as a corporate surety in an amount to be fixed by the City Council, but not less than three hundred dollars ($300.00) per unit for the total mobile home units anticipated, conditional upon the due and faithful performance by the principal named in such surety bond of all requirements of this Code and with specific requirements established for the approved mobile home park. The duration of such bond shall be determined by the Board after recommendation by the Planning and Zoning Commission. In lieu of such bond, a cash deposit of comparable value shall be accepted by the City.

Fees. Fees for a conditional use permit shall be set by the City Council from time to time.