Accessory structure.
Any structure attached or adjacent to a mobile home, including awnings, carports, porches and similar structures.
Arterial street.
A street used primarily for through traffic.
Building line.
A line on a plat indicating the limit beyond which buildings or structures may not be erected.
Carport.
A stationary structure consisting of a roof with its supports and not more than one (1) wall, or storage cabinet substituting for a wall, and used for sheltering a motor vehicle.
Collector street.
A street supplementary to the arterial street system, providing a means of intercommunication between this system and adjacent areas, used to some extent for through traffic and to some extent for access to abutting properties.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) standards.
The National Mobile Home Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974, and rules and regulations adopted thereunder, and information supplied by the manufacturer of a mobile home which has been stamped approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development pursuant to HUD rules.
HUD-code manufactured home.
A structure constructed on or after June 15, 1976, according to the rules of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, transportable in one or more sections, which, in the traveling mode, is eight (8) body feet or more in width or forty (40) body feet or more in length, or when erected on-site is 320 or more square feet, and which is built on a permanent chassis, designated to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical systems. The term does not include a recreational vehicle.
Lot line.
A line bounding a space as shown on the development plan.
Mobile home.
A structure that was constructed before June 15, 1976, transportable in one or more sections, which, in the traveling mode, is eight (8) body feet or more in width or forty (40) body feet or more in length, or when erected on-site is 320 or more square feet, and which is built on a permanent chassis, designated to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical systems. Unless specifically provided for otherwise, the term "mobile home" as used herein shall refer to both mobile homes and HUD-code manufactured homes.
Mobile home park.
Any tract of land that is divided into rental spaces under common ownership or management for the purposes of locating two (2) or more mobile homes for dwelling purposes.
Occupied area.
That area of an individual space which is occupied by a mobile home.
Space.
An area or lot in a mobile home park upon which an individual mobile home is placed.
Travel trailer.
A recreational vehicle that does not exceed eight feet (8’) in width and thirty-two feet (32’) in length and is not designed for use as a permanent residence.
(1999 Code, sec. 3.201)
The penalty upon conviction for violation of this article shall be by fine as provided for in the general penalty provision found in section 1.01.009 of this code.
(1999 Code, sec. 3.209)
The enforcement of this article shall be made by the police department, health department, fire marshal, and building and/or engineering department.
(1999 Code, sec. 3.210)
It shall be unlawful from and after the date of the passage of this article to place any manufactured home on the same lot, tract or parcel of land within the limits of the city where there already exists on said lot, tract or parcel of land improvements which are being used for residential purposes.
(1999 Code, sec. 3.202)
From and after the effective date of these provisions, it shall be unlawful to place any mobile home, as opposed to a manufactured home, in the city. Manufactured homes shall be allowed upon compliance with all relevant provisions of this article. Those mobile homes now present in the city shall be unaffected by this article; however, said mobile homes may not be moved to any new location in the city.
(1999 Code, sec. 3.203)
(a) 
Required.
No mobile home, as herein defined, shall be towed or moved over or across any public street in the city by any person, firm, corporation, or other entity unless such person, firm, corporation, or other entity shall have first obtained a permit for such movement and otherwise complied with this article.
(b) 
Definition.
Mobile home shall be defined as set out in section 3.05.001 and further defined as a manufactured home in V.T.C.A., Occupations Code, chapter 1201.
(c) 
Issuance.
Permits for the towing or moving of mobile homes shall be applied for and obtained from the public works department of the city.
(d) 
Application.
The application for such permit shall contain the following information:
(1) 
Name and address of the person applying for the permit.
(2) 
Name of the company, corporation, or entity in whose name the towing vehicle is registered and the license number of the towing vehicle.
(3) 
Name and address of the person who will be operating the towing vehicle.
(4) 
Proof the towing vehicle is covered by public liability insurance in a minimum amount required by the laws of the state.
(5) 
Name and address of the owner of the mobile home.
(6) 
A copy of the certificate of title showing the mobile home to be registered in the name of the owner or, if title applied for, a copy of the tax collector's receipt showing title applied for.
(7) 
In the event of a newly purchased mobile home being towed after purchase with a dealer's license, the applicant must state the date of purchase and furnish an affidavit from the owner that purchase of the mobile home has been made on that date and title is to be applied for.
(e) 
Towing or moving prohibited in certain subdivisions.
Mobile homes shall not be towed or moved along any street within a subdivision, the plat of which or any document of record in the office of the county clerk of Harris, Fort Bend, or Waller County prohibits the use of mobile homes.
(f) 
Sketch of proposed route and destination.
The applicant must submit a sketch of the proposed route of movement of the mobile home and shall not deviate from such route without first obtaining written approval of the route change from the public works department. The sketch shall contain the street address to which the mobile home is being taken.
(g) 
Fee.
The applicant shall pay a fee as provided for in the fee schedule found in appendix A of this code to the city for the permit at the time of filing the application.
(h) 
Transfer; expiration.
Permits are not transferable and shall become void fifteen (15) days after issuance.
(i) 
Display.
The permit, including a copy of the proposed route marked "approved" by the public works department, shall be carried by the person moving or towing the mobile home and shall be displayed to any police officer or peace officer requesting proof of permit.
(j) 
Exceptions.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to nor shall any permit be required for any mobile home:
(1) 
Moving on Interstate Highway 10;
(2) 
Moving on U.S. Highway 90; or
(3) 
Moving north or south on Avenue D to or from any location north of and outside the city limits.
(k) 
Penalty.
Any person found guilty of violating any provision of this section shall be fined in accordance with the general penalty provision found in section 1.01.009 of this code.
(l) 
Enforcement.
This section shall be enforced by the public works department and/or the city police department or by any peace officer.
(1999 Code, sec. 3.211)
The following standards and requirements shall govern the design of a mobile home park:
(1) 
A mobile home park shall be not less than five (5) acres, and shall not contain fewer than two (2) rental spaces. If larger than five (5) acres, it shall be developed in increments of not less than five (5) acres.
(2) 
A mobile home park shall not be established on a site providing less than a thirty foot (30’) wide access to a collector street or an arterial street.
(3) 
Spaces within a mobile home park shall contain a minimum of three thousand six hundred (3,600) square feet, with a maximum occupied area of fifty percent (50%) of such space.
(4) 
Only one (1) mobile home shall be permitted on any space.
(5) 
No building, structure, or land within the boundaries of a mobile home park shall be used for any purpose except as follows:
(A) 
Mobile homes shall be used as residences only, together with the normal accessory uses such as patio, carport or garage, and storage and washroom buildings.
(B) 
Private and public utilities services which conform to all other city ordinances.
(C) 
Community recreation facilities, including swimming pools, for the residents of the park and guests.
(D) 
One (1) residence for the use of a manager or caretaker responsible for maintaining or operating the property.
(6) 
All mobile homes shall be located at least twenty-five feet (25’) from the property boundary line abutting upon a public street or highway, fifty feet (50’) from the boundary line of a state highway, and at least ten feet (10’) from other boundary lines defining the outside limits of the park, except that when a six foot (6’) high sound-deadening fireproof barrier such as an earthen berm or brick wall is provided the planning commission may allow such setbacks to be reduced to five feet (5’).
(7) 
Unless an intervening firewall is provided, a mobile home or accessory structure shall not be located closer than fifteen feet (15’) from any other mobile home, or closer than five feet (5’) from any roadway. An accessory structure not part of the original mobile home design shall not be attached or located closer than three feet (3’) to the mobile home, unless an intervening firewall is provided.
(8) 
Attached structures shall be considered part of the mobile home for setback purposes.
(9) 
All spaces shall be provided with a foundation base which shall be improved to provide adequate support for the placement of a mobile home in accordance with HUD standards.
(10) 
Two (2) off-street parking spaces shall be provided for each mobile home space, with a minimum ten foot (10’) access to a park street. All off-street parking spaces are to be all-weather surfaced.
(11) 
Security lighting fixtures shall be provided along all streets within the mobile home parks at all entrances, at all dead-ends and cul-de-sacs, and at intervals of four hundred feet (400’) along such streets. Such lighting shall be at least 3200 lumens and shall be installed, maintained, and operated at the owner's expense.
(12) 
A sight-obscuring buffer or screen with evergreen or other shrubbery with growth potential of six feet (6’) or a permanent fencing of solid wood or brick forty inches (40") high shall be placed along the outer boundary of the mobile home park and maintained by the mobile home park owner.
(13) 
Swimming pools shall be set back at least fifty feet (50’) from the nearest residential area and shall have a fence surrounding which is at least eight feet (8’) high and does not obscure vision into the pool area. The swimming pool shall be operated and maintained pursuant to the standards and requirements of the city ordinances.
(14) 
All areas within the mobile home park not part of a space shall be maintained by the owner and kept free of noxious weeds, trash, and debris.
(15) 
Storage areas for recreational vehicles, boats, or trailers may be provided. A six foot (6’) high sight-obscuring fence with a lockable gate shall be erected around the perimeter of such storage areas.
(16) 
Signs identifying the mobile home park shall conform to applicable sign ordinances.
(17) 
Streets within the mobile home park shall be privately constructed, owned, and maintained, and shall be constructed according to the minimum construction standards as adopted by the city (see Ordinance 323), with concrete curbs and gutters and either concrete or asphaltic wearing surface. Such streets shall be a minimum of thirty feet (30’) in width curb to curb.
(18) 
All utilities located more than five feet (5’) from the property perimeter shall be installed underground.
(1999 Code, sec. 3.204)
(a) 
Application for development permit.
(1) 
No land shall be developed for use as a mobile home park and no plan for such park shall be filed or recorded until submitted to the planning commission for approval. Such plan shall be accompanied by a filing fee as provided for in the fee schedule found in appendix A of this code.
(2) 
Developers must meet, in addition to the standards set forth in this article, all other standards, laws, ordinances, and statutes of the city, the county in which the park is located, the state, and the United States of America, to the extent such other standards, laws, ordinances, and statutes affect the development of mobile home parks.
(3) 
All applications submitted for approval of a mobile home park shall consist of six (6) copies of the development plan. Such plan shall be on file at least seven (7) days before it will be placed on the planning commission agenda, and shall contain, as a minimum, the following information:
(A) 
Name of the person who prepared the plan;
(B) 
Names of persons owning and managing the land proposed for the park development; name and address of the proposed mobile home park; scale and north point of the plan;
(C) 
Boundaries and dimensions of the mobile home park, and number of acres included;
(D) 
Vicinity map showing relationship of the development to adjacent properties;
(E) 
Location and dimensions of each space, with such space designated by number or other designation;
(F) 
Location and dimensions of each existing or proposed building; location and width of streets and pedestrian ways;
(G) 
Location of each lighting fixture for exterior lighting;
(H) 
Location of recreational and other common areas;
(I) 
Location and type of landscaping, fences, walls, and other screening structures;
(J) 
Location, arrangement, and design of all parking facilities; location of fire hydrants;
(K) 
Enlarged plot plan of a typical space, showing location of foundation base, storage space, parking, utility connections, and other improvements;
(L) 
Topography of the park site with contour intervals of not more than fifty feet (50’), and a drainage plan. The drainage plan must be presented to the city drainage committee or the city engineer for a certificate showing it conforms to any applicable storm drainage master plans which may be in effect; and
(M) 
A survey plat of the property, plans of structures to be constructed, public water system and sewage disposal plan approved by appropriate governmental agencies, and garbage disposal provisions.
(b) 
Plan approval.
(1) 
Upon application to the planning commission for the development of a mobile home park, and conformance to requirements of submission of the plan for such development, and upon such review and public hearing as may be otherwise required by law, the planning commission shall reach a decision relative to the plan, as follows:
(A) 
Reject the plan, providing the developer with a list of specific reasons for such action.
(B) 
Withhold approval of the plan subject to specified conditions which shall be met prior to approval.
(C) 
Accept and approve the development of the mobile home park and submit same to the city council for final approval.
(2) 
Approval of such plan will expire in one (1) year unless the plan is substantially implemented.
(3) 
Any interested person may appeal a decision of the planning commission in such manner as is otherwise provided by ordinance in similar matters.
(c) 
License required.
It shall be unlawful for any person to maintain or operate, within the limits of the city, any mobile home park unless such person shall first obtain a license therefor.
(d) 
License fee.
The annual license fee for each mobile home park shall be as provided for in the fee schedule found in appendix A of this code. The fee for the transfer of such license, as provided for in this article, shall be as provided for in the fee schedule found in appendix A of this code.
(1999 Code, sec. 3.205)
(a) 
Responsibility of park owner and manager.
It shall be the responsibility of the mobile home park owner and manager to assure that the provisions of this article are observed and maintained within the mobile home park. The owner, or his designated agent or manager, shall be available and responsible for the direct management of the mobile home park, and either may be cited for violations of any ordinance or law.
(b) 
Temporary living quarters.
No travel trailer or recreational vehicle shall be utilized as temporary living quarters for more than ten (10) days, except with special permission of the building inspector.
(c) 
Installation requirements.
Mobile homes and accessory structures installed in the mobile home park shall be required to conform to the following installation requirements:
(1) 
Construction of accessory structures shall be subject to requirements of the building department, and necessary permits and inspections shall be obtained, if required, for such construction.
(2) 
All mobile homes shall be installed with blocking supports conforming to standards of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
(3) 
Skirting on mobile homes shall be of fire- and weather-resistant material, and must be properly maintained.
(4) 
Accessory structures shall be of a material, size, color, and design which is compatible with the mobile home and in compliance with local building codes.
(d) 
Utility service.
All mobile homes must be properly connected to an approved water system, sanitary sewer, and gas or electrical system. Any connection or reconnection of such service, except for the reconnection of service after disconnection for nonpayment, must follow required city inspection. Any utility service to the mobile home not individually metered shall be paid by the mobile home park owner.
(e) 
Fire extinguishers.
Portable fire extinguishers, rated for classes A, B, and C, should be kept in service buildings and other locations, as may be required by local codes.
(f) 
Brush, leaves, weeds and combustible materials.
The park shall be maintained free of any brush, leaves, and weeds which might communicate fires between homes and other improvements. No combustible materials shall be stored in, around, or under any mobile home. The fire marshal shall inspect each park annually, prior to licensing, and submit to the park owner and manager a written report stating whether or not the park is in compliance and listing violations which must be corrected prior to issuance of an annual license renewal. An extension of time to complete repairs may be granted if no risk to public health or safety is created by such extension.
(g) 
Mailboxes.
Individual mailboxes shall be provided for each space in the park, erected according to post office standards.
(h) 
Refuse collection.
Arrangements shall be made to have refuse collected and disposed of on a regular and sanitary basis.
(i) 
Register required.
It shall be the duty of each licensee to keep a register containing a record of all mobile home owners. The register shall contain the name and address of the owner of each mobile home; the make, model, year, and size of each mobile home; and the date of arrival and of departure of each mobile home.
(j) 
Inspection of register.
The park shall keep the register available for inspection at all times by law enforcement officers, the building inspector, and other officials whose duties necessitate acquisition of the information contained in the register. The register record shall not be destroyed for a period of three (3) years following the date of departure of the last registrant from the park.
(1999 Code, sec. 3.206)
These provisions are declared to be the minimum requirements necessary to accomplish the purposes hereof, and where conditions herein imposed are less restrictive than comparable restrictions imposed by any other ordinance or state or federal law or regulation, such other provisions shall govern.
(1999 Code, sec. 3.207)
It shall be the duty of the fire marshal and a member of the health department as a team to make an inspection of each mobile home park once every six (6) months for safety, fire and health hazards, and to make a report to the city council and park operator.
(1999 Code, sec. 3.208)