This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Pocopson Township
Mobile Home Park Ordinance."
This chapter is enacted to offer a residential housing option in Pocopson
Township to those desiring mobile home housing on a land lease basis in a
protective rural community setting. The chapter establishes consistent design
and management standards to protect the health and safety of residents and
contains anti-trust provisions to curb conflicts of interest and abuse of
power which have occurred in some mobile home parks.
Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following words and phrases shall be construed throughout this chapter to have the meaning herein indicated. The singular shall include the plural and the plural shall include the singular. The past tense shall include the future tense. The word "shall" is always mandatory. Where a word is not defined in this chapter, the definitions contained in Chapter
250, Zoning, and/or Chapter
190, Subdivision and Land Development, shall prevail.
ANCHORING
The fastening of the mobile home to its pad (or stand) in order to
prevent upset or damage due to wind, erosion, flooding, or other natural forces.
COMMON OPEN SPACE
A parcel or parcels of land or an area of water or a combination
of land and water within a mobile home park site designed, intended, and restricted
for the use or enjoyment of residents of the mobile home park, not including
streets, off-street parking areas, areas set aside for public facilities,
and required setbacks and buffers.
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.
LANDOWNER
The legal or beneficial owner or owners of land, including the holder
of an option or contract to purchase (whether or not such option or contract
is subject to any condition), a lessee if he is authorized under the lease
to exercise the rights of the landowner or other person having a proprietary
interest in the land.
MANAGER
Licensee or owner, operator, manager or person in charge of the operation
and management of a mobile home park.
MOBILE HOME
A transportable, single-family dwelling intended for permanent occupancy
contained in one unit, or in two 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, including any addition or accessory structure, such
as porches, sheds, decks, or additional rooms.
MOBILE HOME LOT OR SITE
A parcel of land in a mobile home park, improved with the necessary
utility connections and other appurtenances necessary for the erection thereon
of a single mobile home, which is leased by the park owner to the owner or
occupants of the mobile home erected on the lot.
MOBILE HOME PAD
A steel-reinforced concrete pad at least six inches in thickness
set on footings with at least six (1/2 inch diameter minimum) tie-down rings
to which the mobile home shall be secured, and equal in length and width to
the dimensions of the mobile home to be placed thereon.
MOBILE HOME PARK
A parcel of land under single ownership which has been planned and
improved for the placement of mobile homes for nontransient use, consisting
of 20 or more mobile home lots.
PERSON
Any natural person, corporation, partnership, joint venture, sole
proprietorship, firm, association and any other entity of whatever type.
REASONABLE ATTORNEYS' FEES
All those attorneys' fees incurred by the Township in bringing an
action to enforce this chapter and collect fines and penalties in connection
therewith and shall be at that hourly rate annually approved by the Board
for the Township Solicitor.
SKIRTS
Panels specifically designed for the purpose of screening the underside
of a mobile home by forming an extension of the vertical exterior walls of
the mobile home and covering the entire distance between the bottom of the
exterior walls and the ground elevation below.
This chapter has been adopted to provide an alternative form of residential
living. Therefore, the only permitted uses of land within a mobile home park
shall be those directly serving the residents and for the management of the
park. The following uses and no others are hereby permitted:
A. Mobile home for residential use.
B. A one-family detached dwelling for the owner or manager,
provided such dwelling meets all zoning requirements for single-family detached
dwellings in the Agricultural-Residential District.
C. A park management building which can include a manager's
office, workshop and equipment storage areas, and postal boxes in support
of this park and no others.
D. A resident services building which may include meeting
rooms, vending machines, laundry facilities, arts-and-crafts or woodworking
shop, provided such building is located at least 400 feet from any public
road and its use is limited to residents of the park.
E. Other service buildings, multiple vehicle garage buildings,
central equipment storage buildings for residents, buildings for water supply
or sewage facilities, swimming pool cabanas and rest rooms.
F. Such other park management or resident serving uses as
the Board of Supervisors may choose to permit as conditional uses.