[Amended 3-26-1997 by Ord. No. 210]
In expansion of the section on purposes contained in Article I of this chapter,[1] the specific intent of these regulations are:
A. 
To establish standards of performance and promote the desirable benefits which planned mobile home parks may have upon the community and the residents within them.
B. 
To ensure the interdependency and compatibility of proposed mobile home parks with essential utilities and surrounding land uses in the Township, while preserving and protecting adjacent areas from any negative impacts.
C. 
To reflect the changes in the technology of home building and land development so that resulting economies may accrue to the benefit of those who need homes.
D. 
To provide for better quality and greater variety in type, design and layout of mobile home parks by enforcing uniform standards and desirable design criteria, and encouraging innovative site design.
E. 
To encourage the development of mobile home parks that are beneficial rather than detrimental to property values and the general welfare of the area in which they are proposed.
F. 
To provide open space and recreation facilities for the benefit of residents of high-density developments.
G. 
To provide for the Township's fair share of population growth, by permitting high-density development and mobile home dwelling types.
H. 
To further the general welfare by extending greater opportunities for better and more affordable housing to present and prospective residents of Skippack Township.
[1]
Editor's Note: See § 169-2.
The provisions of this article shall apply to the construction or alteration of any mobile home park development, as defined in this chapter and Chapter 200, Zoning. These regulations are in addition to those set forth in Chapter 200, Zoning, and other applicable regulations of this chapter. Compliance with all regulations of both ordinances is required.
A. 
Arrangement of structures and facilities. The tract, including mobile home stands, patios, conventionally built dwellings, other structures and all tract improvements, shall be organized in relation to topography, the shape of the tract and the size, shape and position of common structures and facilities. Special attention shall be given to new mobile home designs and to common structures and facilities that are available.
B. 
Adaptation to tract assets. Each mobile home unit, conventionally built dwelling or other structure shall be fitted to the terrain with a minimum disturbance of the land and a reasonable 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. The plan should emphasize favorable views.
C. 
Courts and spaces. Groups or clusters of units, so placed as to create interior spaces and courtyards, shall be incorporated whenever feasible. Lot area and setback regulations shall be maintained.
D. 
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, in order to provide variety and interest. Site layout shall be designed to ensure that mobile home units are offset to block long uninterrupted vistas between units.
E. 
Street layout. Gridiron layouts and street patterns unrelated to the topography of the site are to be avoided.
F. 
Roadways.
(1) 
Standards. All applicable standards for streets and roads contained in Article V of this chapter shall be adhered to for all public roads in and abutting mobile home developments. Such standards include construction specifications, intersection alignment, grades, curves, cul-de-sac length and bulb radii, and sight distances.
(2) 
Access limitations. Mobile home lots may have direct access only onto minor internal streets. Direct access from a mobile home lot shall not be permitted onto the street(s) from which the mobile home development gains primary access.
(3) 
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 roads prior to being accepted as a public way, unless this requirement is waived by the Township Board of Supervisors.
G. 
Pedestrian circulation.
(1) 
General requirements. All mobile home developments 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 streets, 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 be required on only 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.
(2) 
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.
(3) 
Individual walks. All dwellings shall be connected to common walks, or to streets, or to driveways or parking spaces connecting to paved streets. Such individual walks shall have a minimum width of two feet.
H. 
Common open space and facilities. The permanent common open space and facilities shall be designed according to the provisions of Chapter 200, Zoning. In addition, the following regulations shall apply:
(1) 
Arrangement. The common open space shall be designed as a contiguous area unless the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Township Board of Supervisors 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 development, although all units are not required to abut the common open space.
(2) 
Recreation. Recreation areas and facilities shall be provided to meet the anticipated needs of the residents of the development. Not less than 25% 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 relief that is conducive to active and passive recreation.
(3) 
Service building. The structure or structures containing the management office and other common facilities shall be conveniently located for the use(s) intended. Consolidation of laundry, recreation, management and other common facilities in a single building and location is strongly encouraged, provided that location will adequately serve all residential lots.
(4) 
Maintenance. Prior to development plan approval, provisions shall be established acceptable to the Township Board of Supervisors and Solicitor for the maintenance of all common elements which will not be owned and maintained by a governmental agency.
I. 
Buffers.
(1) 
General requirements. Along all exterior property boundary lines except those which abut another mobile home development, there shall be a permanent buffer at least 15 feet in depth. A screen buffer (as defined below) shall be provided wherever the mobile home development abuts existing residential uses, vacant land zoned for residential uses and other types of uses when deemed necessary by the Board of Supervisors to provide sufficient buffering and transition. A softening buffer (as defined below) shall be provided wherever the mobile home development abuts existing commercial, office, industrial and institutional uses; or any existing street, drive or parking area.
(2) 
Components. The minimum component of each type of buffer shall be as follows:
(a) 
Screen buffer. The primary components of a screen buffer shall be a row of evergreen trees, at a height of not less than six feet when planted, spaced not more than 10 feet apart on-center, and these trees shall be of such species to attain a height at maturity of not less than 20 feet. Also required as a secondary component of the buffer is one of the following: mounding (the use of which is encouraged), provided that the slopes shall be a maximum of 3 to 1; visually opaque fencing not greater than six feet in height; and coniferous shrubbery. Any combination of evergreen trees, coniferous shrubs, mounding, fencing or other natural vegetation or man-made materials is allowable, provided that an effective visual screen at least 15 feet in height above the adjacent ground elevation in the mobile home development is achieved within a reasonable time. But whenever only vegetation is used, there shall be at least a double row of evergreen trees, with the trees in one row offset five feet from the trees in the other row, and the rows at least five feet apart.
(b) 
Softening buffer. The primary component of a softening buffer shall be a row of evergreen and deciduous trees, spaced not more than 25 feet apart on-center, at least 25% of which shall be evergreens. The evergreen trees shall be at least six feet in height when planted and shall attain at least 20 feet in height at maturity. Any deciduous trees shall be at least 11/2 inches in caliper and eight feet in height when planted, and shall attain a height of not less than 20 feet at maturity. These trees shall be interspersed with other allowable components, including any other type of trees, shrubs, mounding, fencing and/or similar natural or man-made elements having a visible vertical dimension, or any combination thereof.
(3) 
Existing buffers. In cases where an edge of a mobile home development occurs along a natural feature which functions as a buffer and is to be permanently preserved, including but not limited to mature vegetation, a significant grade change, or a stream valley, buffering may be waived along that edge when approved by the Township Board of Supervisors.
(4) 
Buffer alternative. Buffers may also be waived by the Township Board of Supervisors where a mixed mobile home development abuts a single-family residential use, if only conventionally built single-family detached, lot line or village house dwellings are constructed within 200 feet of the property boundary.
(5) 
Maintenance. All vegetation shall be maintained permanently, and, in the event of death or other destruction, shall be replaced within one year by the persons responsible for maintenance when death or destruction occurred.
(6) 
Buffer landscape plan. A landscaping plan shall be submitted with the final plans, showing all pertinent information, including the location, size and species of all individual trees and shrubs to be preserved or planted, as well as the general characteristics of existing vegetation masses which are to be preserved.
J. 
Ground cover requirement. Exposed ground surfaces in all parts of every mobile home development shall be paved, or covered with stone screening or other solid material, or protected with a vegetative growth that is capable of preventing soil erosion and the emanation of dust during dry weather. All vegetative ground covers shall be appropriately maintained.
K. 
Lighting facilities. Lighting facilities shall be provided as needed and arranged in a manner which will protect the mobile home development residents, neighboring properties and adjacent highways from direct glare or hazardous interference of any kind. Lighting facilities shall be required where deemed necessary by the Township Board of Supervisors for the safety and convenience of the mobile home development residents, and shall be installed by the developer.
General requirements. An adequate water supply and a safe sewerage system shall be provided for all uses included in the mobile home development, including service buildings and accessory facilities. All water piping, sewer lines, fixtures and other equipment shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with state and Township regulations, as well as those of the servicing utility. 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.
A. 
Individual water-riser pipes and connections.
(1) 
Individual water-riser pipes shall be located within the confined area of the mobile home stand at a point where the water connection will approximate a vertical position, thereby insuring 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 Township 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 pipe and to protect risers from heaving and thawing actions of ground during freezing weather. Surface drainage shall be diverted from the location of the riser pipe.
B. 
Individual sewer connections.
(1) 
Each mobile home stand shall be provided with a sewer riser pipe with an inside diameter and slope consistent with the standards of the servicing utility, or in lack thereof, of the Township Engineer. The sewer riser pipe shall be so located on each stand that the sewer connection to the mobile home drain outlet will approximate a vertical position. All joints shall be watertight.
(2) 
All materials used for sewer connections shall be semirigid, corrosive-resistant, nonabsorbent and durable. The inner surface shall be smooth.
(3) 
Provision shall be made for plugging the sewer rise pipe when a mobile home does not occupy the lot. Surface drainage shall be diverted away from the riser, and the rim of the riser pipe shall extend at least 1/2 inch above ground elevation.
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 each mobile home. Each mobile home shall be anchored to the pad. For each mobile home, the following requirements shall apply:
A. 
Each mobile home placed within a mobile home development shall be anchored to the mobile home stand where it is located and shall be affixed to the mobile home stand 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. Such anchoring shall take place prior to the unit being occupied or used in any other way, or the expiration of seven days, whichever occurs first. 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.
B. 
Each mobile home shall be supported by not less than five piers on each side. One shall be placed immediately in front of the transport assembly. One shall be placed immediate the rear of the transport assembly. One shall be located at either end of the main support member. The remaining pier shall be located approximately halfway between the pier at the front end and the pier in front of the transport assembly. In addition to the five piers per side, an 11th pier shall be placed near the hitch assembly.
C. 
All of the above piers shall be supported by a four-inch concrete slab. The concrete slab shall be made of concrete having a twenty-eight-day compressive strength of 3,000 pounds per square inch and shall be two inches wider than the mobile home, and project to the rear and front of the mobile home by one inch. An additional area projecting to the front one foot beyond the hitch assembly and not less than three feet wide shall also be provided to support the hitch and front pier. The concrete slab shall be supported on a foundation system that complies with the chapter on foundations and retaining walls of the latest edition of the BOCA Code.
D. 
There shall be a minimum of six inches of crushed stone (over properly compacted subsoil) having a minimum diameter of 1/2 inch and a maximum diameter of 11/2 inches placed under all the concrete, to provide drainage.
E. 
Each mobile home shall be located in a well-drained area, and the lot shall be properly graded so as to prevent the accumulation of stormwater or other water.
F. 
Each mobile home shall be protected against uplift and overturn against an eighty-mile-per-hour wind. Each ground anchor shall be connected to each main member of the under framing of the mobile home by cables or steel rods with turnbuckles or other adjusting devices.
G. 
All mobile homes placed within a mobile home development shall, prior to occupancy or other use, have skirts installed which are designed to complement the appearance of the mobile home and are coordinated throughout the park. Skirts shall be made of masonry.
A. 
Permits required.
(1) 
Lots for sale. In those mobile home developments 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 a mobile home or other structure placed or constructed thereon until the subdivision and/or land development plan has been properly approved and the proper building and construction permits have been issued for that lot in accordance with standard procedures for any building activity in Skippack Township. No mobile home or other structure shall be occupied until a valid occupancy permit has been issued by Skippack Township.
(2) 
Lots for lease. In those mobile home developments 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:
(a) 
Initial permits. It shall be unlawful for any person or group to construct, alter, extend or operate a mobile home development unless and until that person or group obtains:
[1] 
A valid permit issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, in the name of the operator, for a specified construction, alteration or extension proposed; and
[2] 
Valid permit(s) authorizing construction and initial occupancy issued by the Skippack Township Zoning Officer in the name of the operator, which shall not be issued until a copy of the Department of Environmental Protection permit has been furnished, all permits for water supply and sewage systems shall have been complied with, and final approval of the application has been granted by the Township Board of Supervisors.
(b) 
Annual licenses. In addition to the initial permits, the operator of a mobile home development with lots for lease shall apply to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and to the Skippack Township Zoning Officer on or before the first day of each year for an annual license to continue operation of the mobile home park. The Zoning Officer shall issue the annual license upon satisfactory proof that the park continues to meet the standards prescribed by state agencies having jurisdiction and the standards of this article and other applicable Township ordinances. The license so issued shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance.
B. 
Fees.
(1) 
Fees for the initial application and preliminary and final approvals of any mobile home development shall be prescribed by regulations of the Board of Supervisors of Skippack Township.
(2) 
The fee for the annual license required for mobile home developments having lots for lease shall be prescribed by regulation of the Board of Supervisors and shall be submitted to the Zoning Officer with the application for the annual license.
C. 
Inspection.
(1) 
Upon notification to the licensee, manager or person in charge of a mobile home development with lots for lease, the Building Inspector or Zoning Officer of Skippack Township may inspect a mobile home development after due notice to determine compliance with this article and other applicable Township ordinances.
(2) 
Upon receipt of the application for annual license and before issuing such annual license, the Zoning Officer or other designated representative of Skippack Township shall make an inspection of the mobile home development to determine compliance with this article and other applicable Township 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.