[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Charleston as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 1-16-2012 by Ord. No. 146]
This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Temporary Housing/Man Camp Ordinance of Charleston Township, County of Tioga, Pennsylvania."
This article is hereby established to set requirements for the design, construction, alteration, extension and maintenance of man camps and related utilities and facilities for the purpose of promoting and safeguarding the public health, safety, comfort and welfare.
The Township has jurisdiction and control of land use and development as set forth in Act 247 (as amended by Act 93 and Act 194, and other amendments), the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq., and the Second Class Township Code, as amended and supplemented.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 65101 et seq.
A. 
As used in this article, words in the singular include the plural, and those in the plural include the singular. The words "shall" and "will," for the purpose of this article, are defined as mandatory.
B. 
The words or terms expressly defined in Chapter 235, Subdivision and Land Development, shall have the same meaning and definitions for the purpose of this article.
Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following definitions shall, for the purpose of this article, have the meaning herein indicated. Any pertinent word or term not a part of this listing, but vital to the interpretation of this article, shall be construed to have its legal definition.
CAMP MANAGEMENT
The person who owns or has charge, care or control of the man camp.
EXTERMINATION
The control and elimination of insects, rodents or other pests by eliminating their harborage places; by removing or making inaccessible materials that may serve as their food; by poisoning, spraying, fumigating, trapping or by any other recognized pest-elimination method.
HEALTH AUTHORITY
The legally designated health authority of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection).
MAN CAMPS
A parcel or contiguous parcels of land that has been so designated and improved that it contains two or more temporary, self-contained, mobile housing units or recreational vehicle used for temporary housing for oil and/or gas field workers or support for related job fields. Units, which can be single- or multiple-occupancy, are owned by the camp management or other company and are transported to the site complete and ready for occupancy except for minor and incidental unpacking and assembly operations.
MOBILE HOME
A transportable, single-family dwelling intended for occupancy, contained in one unit or in two or more units designed to be joined into one integral unit capable of again being separated for repeated towing, which arrives at a site complete and ready for occupancy except for minor and incidental unpacking and assembly operations, and constructed so that it may be used without a permanent foundation.
PERMIT
Written approval, in whatever form as issued by Charleston Township, authorizing a person to operate and maintain a man camp.
PERSON
Any individual, firm, trust, partnership, public or private association or corporation or other entity.
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE
A vehicle with or without motor power which may be towed on the public highways by a passenger vehicle or self-propelled without a special permit and which is designed for human occupancy under transient circumstances, such as camping, travel or other recreational uses, sometimes variously known as a "travel trailer," a "camping trailer" or a "motor home."
REFUSE
All perishable and nonperishable solids, except body wastes, but including garbage, rubbish, ashes and dead animals.
SERVICE OR RECREATIONAL BUILDING
A structure, housing operation, office, recreational, camp maintenance and other facilities built to conform to required local standards.
TEMPORARY HOUSING
Nonpermanent, portable housing placed on location for a short period of time, with the intent that the housing will be removed at the end of its intended use. Used to house workers.
TEMPORARY HOUSING STAND
That part of a man camp, which has been prepared and reserved for the placement of a temporary housing unit.
TEMPORARY HOUSING UNIT
A single, nonpermanent, portable building capable of housing single or multiple occupants.
A. 
All proposed man camps shall follow the regular procedures and requirements of a normal subdivision as set forth in Chapter 235, Subdivision and Land Development, of the Code of Charleston Township as well as comply with Township and county ordinances and regulations.
B. 
The developer must provide, at the time of application to construct a man camp, a plan for the dismantling and removing of the housing units, and they must post a bond, acceptable to the Supervisors, assuring removal of the man camp when it is no longer used. The plan should include what event will trigger the management decision to remove the facilities, e.g., occupancy below a certain percent. If the buildings remain completely unoccupied, except for camp management, for a period of more than six months, then the camp management shall begin the removal process.
A. 
Man camps shall have a gross area of at least 10 acres of land.
B. 
The location of all man camps shall comply with the following minimum requirements:
(1) 
Not subject to flooding or mudslide prone areas.
(2) 
Free from adverse influence by swamps, marshes, garbage or rubbish disposal areas.
(3) 
Not subject to any hazard or nuisance, such as excessive noise, vibration, smoke, toxic matter, radiation, heat, odor, or glare.
C. 
A recreation area shall be required if there are 40 or more tenants.
D. 
All camps shall be furnished with lighting units so spaced, and equipped with luminaries placed at such mounting heights, as will provide adequate levels of illumination for the safe movement of pedestrians and vehicles at night.
E. 
The camp management shall provide for overflow parking: one extra parking space for every three tenants. Recreational vehicles are not to be permitted to be stored on the lot, and if provisions are made for storage, they must be in separate fenced area.
F. 
Skirting, if required, for the temporary housing must be installed within 60 days of placing a housing unit on a lot.
The grounds of the man camp shall be graded in such a manner that will not create excessive water runoff damage, create wetlands, or other environmental hazards on or off lot.
A. 
Temporary housing shall be located at least 50 feet from the right-of-way of all public roads and highways and at least 50 feet from any other camp property boundary lines.
B. 
Front yard setbacks shall be a minimum of 10 feet from the camp road rights-of-way.
C. 
Side of yard and rear yard setbacks shall be a minimum of 20 feet from the lot boundary.
D. 
The Board of Supervisors has the right to require screening material such as fences or natural growth along the camp boundary adjacent to residential areas.
A. 
The man camp road system shall have road widths of a minimum of 20 feet.
B. 
All roads shall be of a gravel or paved surface with sufficient gravel base so that the man camp road system will be free of mud and sink holes.
C. 
Grades of all camp roads shall be a minimum of 1% to ensure adequate surface drainage, but shall not exceed 10%.
D. 
Road intersections.
(1) 
Curbs, where required, shall be installed by the subdivider along the roads or where deemed necessary for public safety as determined by the Board of Supervisors.
(2) 
Where the grade of any road at the approach to an intersection exceeds 5%, a leveling area shall be provided with a transitional grade not to exceed 2% for a distance of 25 feet from the nearest right-of-way line of the intersection.
(3) 
Multiple intersections of more than four roads shall be prohibited.
E. 
Dead-end roads shall be provided with a cul-de-sac with a minimum of 80 feet diameter. This shall be required at all dead-end roads.
F. 
Driveways.
(1) 
Driveways shall be located to provide the best visibility possible within the limits of the property that each driveway serves.
(2) 
Driveways shall be constructed not to interfere with roadway drainage. Cross drains shall be constructed beneath the driveway where required to provide adequate drainage.
(3) 
Off-road parking shall be provided at each temporary home. Parking spaces shall be a minimum of 20 feet by 10 feet and shall be provided with a dust-free surface.
G. 
The road system installed in any man camp is to be lighted.
A. 
If public water supply is available or planned for the area, then provisions shall be made for its immediate and eventual use.
B. 
Community wells or project wells for water supply shall be approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Board of Supervisors.
C. 
Fire hydrants shall be installed for locations as per the Township specifications if municipal water is available.
D. 
If a municipal water source is not available, a private water source shall meet all the standards of the Department of Environmental Protection and the Board of Supervisors.
All man camps where municipal sewage is available (within 1,500 feet) must use the municipal service. Where municipal sewage is not available, a sewage system approved by the Department of Environmental Protection and the Township is required. In areas where a municipal sewer is available, all properties within the subdivision shall be connected thereto.
Installation of a sanitary sewage treatment plant and other appurtenances shall be subject to approval by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Board of Supervisors.
A. 
Storm sewers shall be located in the right-of-way or in a drainage easement.
B. 
In the design of storm drain installation, special consideration shall be given to the avoidance of problems which may arise from concentration of stormwater runoff over adjacent properties.
C. 
Bridges and culverts shall be designed to support the expected loads, to carry expected flows, and be constructed the full width of the right-of-way, where deemed necessary by the Board of Supervisors.
A. 
Temporary housing shall be separated from each other and from other buildings and structures by at least 40 feet on all sides. Storage buildings are excluded from this requirement.
B. 
An enclosure of compatible design and material shall be erected around the entire base of each temporary housing unit. Such enclosure shall provide sufficient ventilation to inhibit decay and deterioration of the structure.
General requirements. The area of the temporary housing stand shall be improved to provide adequate support for the placement and tie-down of the mobile homes, thereby securing the superstructure against uplift, sliding, rotation and overturning.
A. 
The temporary housing stand shall not heave, shift or settle unevenly under the weight of the mobile home due to frost action, inadequate drainage, vibration or other forces acting upon the structure.
B. 
A temporary housing stand area shall be prepared by removing the topsoil and grading to slope of not more than 1% in any direction. The soil in the area of the temporary housing unit stand must be capable of supporting the weight of the temporary housing and must not be alluvial or highly organic.
Fire hydrants, if provided, shall be located within 600 feet of any mobile home, service building or other structure in the camp and shall be installed in accordance with Township specifications.
A. 
Storage facilities shall be permitted in man camps, provided such facilities are allowed by the camp management.
B. 
Such facilities shall be designed in a manner that will enhance the appearance of the man camp, shall not obstruct any housing opening for light and ventilation, shall not inhibit inspection of housing equipment and utility connections, shall be located at least three feet from any lot line, and shall not be located in the front yard of any lot.
C. 
Such storage facility shall be portable and will not exceed a maximum ground size of 10 feet by 12 feet with a maximum overhang and/or roof of six inches per side.
A. 
Applicability. The requirements of this section shall apply to service buildings, recreational buildings and other community service facilities when constructed such as:
(1) 
Management offices, repair shops and storage areas.
(2) 
Laundry facilities.
(3) 
Indoor recreation areas.
(4) 
Commercial uses supplying essential goods and services for the exclusive use of camp occupants.
B. 
Structural requirements for buildings. All buildings shall comply with Chapter 117, Construction Codes, Uniform, as adopted by Charleston Township.
C. 
Water storage facilities. All water storage reservoirs shall be covered, watertight and constructed of impervious material. Overflows and vents of such reservoirs shall be effectively screened. Manholes shall be constructed with overlapping covers so as to prevent the entrance of contaminated material. Reservoir overflow pipes shall discharge through an acceptable air gap.
D. 
Water distribution system. All water piping, fixtures and other equipment shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with the regulations of the Department of Environmental Protection and the Township.
A. 
General requirements. An adequate and safe sewage system shall be provided in all camps for conveying and disposing of sewage from temporary housing, service buildings and other accessory facilities. Such system shall be designed, constructed and maintained in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and/or local health regulations.
B. 
Sewage treatment and/or discharge. Where the sewer lines of the man camp are not connected to a public sewer, all proposed sewage disposal facilities shall be approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Township prior to construction.
A. 
General requirements. Every camp shall contain an electrical wiring system consisting of wiring, fixtures, equipment and appurtenances which shall be installed and maintained in accordance with the local electric power company's specifications regulating such systems and local building codes.[1] In addition, all man camps containing five or more buildings shall have underground power distribution lines.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Chapter 117, Construction Codes, Uniform, of this Code.
B. 
Required grounding. All exposed non-current-carrying metal parts of the housing unit and all other equipment shall be grounded by means of an approved grounding conductor run with branch circuit conductors or other approved methods of grounded metallic wiring. The neutral conductor shall not be used as an equipment ground for mobile homes or other equipment.
The storage, collection and disposal of refuse in the man camp shall be so conducted as to create no health hazards, rodent harborage, insect breeding areas, accident or fire hazards or air pollution and shall comply with the regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Grounds, buildings and structures shall be maintained free of insect and rodent harborage and infestation. Extermination methods and other measures to control insects and rodents shall conform with the requirements and regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
A. 
Natural gas system. Natural gas piping systems, when installed in man camps, shall be maintained in conformity with accepted engineering practices.
B. 
Liquefied petroleum gas system. Liquefied petroleum gas systems provided for temporary housing, service buildings or other structures, when installed, shall be maintained in conformity with the rules and regulations of the authority having jurisdiction.
C. 
Fuel oil supply system. All fuel oil supply systems provided for temporary housing, service buildings and other structures shall be installed and maintained in conformity with the rules and regulations of the authority having jurisdiction.
A. 
Local regulations. The man camp area shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the Township of Charleston fire prevention authority where provided.
B. 
Litter control. Man camp areas shall be kept free of litter, rubbish and other flammable materials.
C. 
Fire extinguishers. Portable fire extinguishers of a type approved by the fire prevention authority shall be kept in all buildings under camp control when the camp is not serviced by fire hydrants.
A. 
Responsibilities of the camp management.
(1) 
The person to whom a license for a man camp is issued shall operate the camp in compliance with this article and shall provide adequate supervision to maintain the camp, its facilities and equipment in good repair and in a clean and sanitary condition.
(2) 
The camp management shall supervise the placement of each temporary housing unit on its lot which includes securing its stability and installing all utility connections.
(3) 
The camp management shall give any authorized officer free access to all temporary housing units, service buildings and other community service facilities for the purpose of inspection.
(4) 
The management shall maintain a register containing the names of all occupants. Such register shall be available to any authorized person inspecting the camp. The management shall notify the appropriate officer, in accordance with state and local taxation laws, of the arrival and departure of each temporary housing unit.
(5) 
A representative of the camp management shall be on-premises at all times.
(6) 
The camp management shall provide Charleston Township with the contact information of the individual or individuals responsible for the operation and activities at the man camp. Such information shall include a phone number where such individual or individuals can be contacted 24 hours per day, 365 days a year.
B. 
Removal of temporary housing. No temporary housing, whether installed on a single lot of record or on a temporary housing lot in a man camp, shall be removed from the Township without first obtaining a removal permit from the Charleston Township Tax Collector. Such permit shall be issued upon payment of a fee, as established from time to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors, and real estate taxes assessed against the unit and unpaid at time the permit is requested.
Modifications to this article shall be granted by the Supervisors under the modification provisions of Chapter 235, Subdivision and Land Development, of the Township of Charleston, County of Tioga, Pennsylvania.
It shall be the duty of the Charleston Township Supervisors to enforce the provisions of this article.
A. 
It shall be the responsibility of the Charleston Township Board of Supervisors, or its representative, to make periodic inspections of man camps in the Township and make such reports as the Township Supervisors may require.
B. 
If the Charleston Township Supervisors shall find that any man camp has been established or is being maintained in violation of the provisions of this article, it shall promptly notify the owner thereof in writing. If the owner fails to abate the said violation and comply with the provisions of this article within five days, the Supervisors shall cause such violation to be removed or remedied. The cost of such removal or remedy shall be borne by the owner or lessor, and shall be a lien upon the premises.
C. 
The Charleston Township Supervisors shall cause any violations of the provisions of this article, which is an immediate peril to persons or property, to be removed immediately. The cost shall be a lien upon the premises.
The provisions of this article shall be administered by the Township of Charleston Supervisors. The Supervisors may delegate all or part of the administration of this article to an agent, and the extent of this delegation shall be on record in the minutes of the Charleston Township Supervisors.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to construct, alter or extend any man camp within the limits of Charleston Township, unless he holds a valid permit issued by the Township Board of Supervisors in the name of such person for the specific construction, alteration or extension proposed and also plans approved by the Charleston Township Supervisors.
B. 
Upon receipt of such application, the Charleston Township Supervisors shall forthwith inspect the applicant's plans and proposed camp to determine compliance with the provisions of this article. After favorable determination with the same, the Supervisors shall issue a man camp permit to the applicant which shall be valid for a period of one year thereafter.
C. 
Renewal permits for a one-year period shall be issued by the Board of Supervisors upon proof furnished by the applicant that his man camp continues to meet the standards prescribed by this article.
A. 
Application. At the time of filing for approval of the plan for a man camp, the application shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee for review of said plans. This fee shall be determined and established from time to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors. In the event that the Board is required to perform additional or unusual services in determining if said application conforms to the provisions of this article, the cost of such additional service shall be borne by the applicant. Such charges shall be levied whether or not the application is approved.
B. 
License. An annual license fee is required from all owners of man camps. The fee shall be established from time to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors for each calendar year. Such license shall be renewed annually on or before the first day of January of each year. In cases where a camp is established in the Township on or after the first day of July in any year, the license fee payable by the owner for the remainder of such year shall be 1/2 of the yearly rate.
Every person holding a permit to operate a man camp shall file notice in writing to Charleston Township within 10 days after having sold, transferred, given away or otherwise disposed of interest in or control of any man camp.
A. 
Any person or owner or any person acting as agent, employee, contractor, tenant or servant of said person or owner who shall violate any provision of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of $1,000, or the maximum amount permitted by law, and shall be subject to imprisonment not to exceed 30 days, or the maximum amount allowed by the law, for the punishment of summary offenses. Each day that violation of this article continues after notice shall constitute a separate offense.
B. 
Civil enforcement.
(1) 
Nothing in § 171-34A hereinabove shall prevent the Township from initiating civil enforcement proceedings before a Magisterial District Judge or other court. If this article is to be enforced through civil enforcement proceedings, civil penalties shall be $600 per violation, or the maximum amount permitted by law. Each day that a violation of this article continues after notice shall constitute a separate violation.
(2) 
In any case where a penalty for a violation of this article has not been timely paid and the person or owner upon whom the penalty was imposed is found to have been liable therefore in civil proceedings, the violators shall be liable for the penalty imposed, including additional daily penalties for continuing violations, plus court costs and reasonable attorney fees incurred by the Township in the enforcement proceedings.
(3) 
The Township reserves the right to enforce the provisions of this article in any manner permitted by law, and all fines and penalties collected for violation of this article shall be paid to the Township Treasurer.