No person, firm or corporation proposing to open,
rearrange or expand a mobile home park in Girard Township shall proceed
with any construction work on the proposed park until they have obtained
from the Township written approval of the final plan of the proposed
park, according to procedures herein outlined.
Permits. It shall be unlawful for any person to construct,
remodel, alter, operate or extend any mobile home park within the
limits of Girard Township unless he holds a valid permit issued by
the Township of Girard. Any person expanding his mobile home park
by one or more lots shall make reapplication for a permit to operate
such facility in the manner prescribed by this chapter.
Preliminary and final plans, as required, shall comply
in form and content to articles of these regulations applicable to
major subdivisions insofar as transferable and shall be in accordance
with the standards set forth herein.
Preapplication procedure. The mobile home park developer
should meet with the Township, prior to formal application, to discuss
his plans and shall prepare a suitable sketch and plans sufficient
to give a general understanding of his purposes. The Township shall
inform the developer as to the general suitability of the plans and
of any modifications required by these regulations, if deemed advisable.
Application. The developer shall then prepare and
submit a complete preliminary plan, together with improvement plans
and other supplementary material, as required for major subdivisions.
Upon receipt of a preliminary plan and permit application
for a mobile home park, the Girard Township Planning Commission shall
determine compliance with the provisions of this chapter and shall
render a recommendation for approval or denial of said preliminary
plan, per the provisions of this chapter.
Upon completion of any conditions required by the
Township Planning Commission and/or upon completion of required improvements
or the alternate posting of acceptable surety, the developer may apply
to the Board of Township Supervisors for approval of the final plan.
Until the final plan for the mobile home park is approved and recorded
and until all necessary improvements are completed for the mobile
home park, the placement and habitation of individual mobile homes
shall not be permitted.
The Township Supervisors shall review the final plan
for conformance with the approved preliminary plans and all requirements
of these rules and regulations. Where required, an appropriate bond
must be posted or required improvements have been installed, according
to specifications.
Filing. Following approval, the developer shall file
three copies of the approved plan with the Erie County Recorder of
Deeds within 90 days. Should the developer fail to file such plans
within said period, the approval shall be null and void.
Upon being furnished a copy of the permit issued by
the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to the applicant,
and upon approval by the Girard Township Planning Commission of the
final plans for the mobile home submitted by the applicant in compliance
with this chapter, Girard Township shall issue a mobile home park
permit to the owner of the park which shall be valid for a period
of one year.
The standards and procedures prescribed herein
shall be applicable only to those mobile home parks which are constructed,
remodeled, altered or expanded after the effective date of this chapter.
Minimum area of tract or park. The minimum area of
the tract or park shall be 10 acres. The site shall be so located
that soil conditions, groundwater level, drainage and topography shall
not create hazards or nuisance to the property, health or safety of
the occupants or adjacent property owners.
Soil and
ground cover requirements. Exposed ground surfaces in all parts of
every 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 the emanation of dust during dry weather.
Park areas
for nonresidential uses. No part of any mobile home park shall be
used for nonresidential purposes, except when so designated on the
plan as uses required for the direct servicing and well being of park
residents, for the management and maintenance of the park, and/or
commercial activities related to the park development.
Size. Each mobile home lot shall have a minimum lot
width of 80 feet and a depth of 125 feet. However, all mobile home
parks shall maintain an overall density of one mobile home per each
15,000 square feet in area (exclusive of required buffers, required
recreation areas, streets, sidewalks and common areas).
Mobile homes shall be parked on each lot so
that there will be a minimum of 30 feet between the mobile home, appurtenant
structures, and any other mobile home.
There shall be a minimum of 20 feet between
an individual mobile home, attached structure, and accessory structure,
and the pavement of a park street or common parking area.
Editor's Note: Original § 706B(3)(e), regarding minimum of feet between parallel ends, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
Street construction standards. All streets shall be
constructed and surfaced in accordance with Township specifications
applicable to streets in conventional residential developments, and
approved by the Township Engineer. In particular, all regulations
regarding dead-end streets shall be applied to mobile home park streets.
All roads shall be maintained in a dust-free condition.
Street maintenance. All streets, roads and ways shall
be maintained by the mobile home park owner, unless by ordinance or
written agreement the Township agrees to maintain the park streets,
roads or ways.
Off-street parking areas. Off-street parking areas
with dust-free stabilized surfaces shall be provided in all mobile
home parks for the use of park occupants and guests. Required car
parking spaces shall be located as to provide convenient access to
the mobile home, but shall not exceed a distance of 200 feet from
the mobile home that is intended to be served and shall consist of
two off-street parking spaces for each mobile home. Two parking spaces
shall be provided for each mobile home.
All parks shall provide safe, convenient, all-season
pedestrian walkways of adequate width for intended use, durable and
convenient to maintain, between individual mobile homes, the park
streets and all community facilities provided for park residents,
meeting the minimum standards in this chapter and related specifications.
All mobile home lots shall be connected to common
walks, or to streets or to driveways or parking spaces connecting
to a paved street. Such individual walks shall have a minimum width
of two feet.
The location of each mobile home stand shall be at
such elevation, distance and angle in relation to the access street
so that the placement and removal of the mobile home is practical.
A 1% to 5% gradient longitudinal crown or cross gradient
for surface drainage shall be provided. Water shall be directed away
from the mobile home stand. In no event shall the stand be designed
to allow the pooling of water under mobile homes.
All mobile homes shall be set on a suitable foundation
extending below the frost line to provide a stable foundation to withstand
the dead and live loads from the mobile home.
Each mobile home foundation shall be designed to provide
anchorage against overturning and sliding forces that result from
winds as shown on the Wind Pressure Map in American Standards Association,
Standards A58.1, 1995.
There shall be a concrete patio area provided for
each stand, not less than 10 feet wide and 20 feet long, located convenient
to the main entry door to the mobile home.
Recreation areas. Not less than 10% of the gross site
area shall be devoted to recreational facilities for both passive
and active recreation. Recreation areas may include space for and
community use facilities such as playgrounds, recreation areas, or
swimming pools. Sites selected or reserved for such uses shall have
appropriate topography, location and dimensions which in the judgment
of the Township lend themselves to recreational uses. All recreation
areas shall be centrally located, accessible from every mobile home
lot, and usable for their stated purpose.
The construction, modification, maintenance and operation
of any bathing place (swimming pool) in a mobile home park shall be
subject to the provisions of the regulations of the Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection.
Conservation buffer. A buffer yard shall be installed
and maintained to minimize the environmental impact of this more dense
and intense form of development upon surrounding properties. The buffer
yard shall surround the entire park, except for necessary curb cuts
to streets. Due to the increased density standards, plantings are
necessary to provide a windbreak and lessen of the intensity of stormwater
flows.
General. In accordance with the rules and regulations,
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Protection,
provisions for all sewerage collection and disposal and the distribution
and treatment of the water supply and such other information required
by the Department of Environmental Protection shall be shown on plans
and submitted to and approved by the Department of Environmental Protection.
If a proposed park is within 500 feet of an existing community sewer
system or public water system, it will be required to connect to same.
All design standards and specifications of this chapter will be followed
for mobile home parks.
An adequate, safe and potable supply of water shall
be provided for mobile homes, service buildings and other accessory
facilities as required by this chapter. Where a public water supply
system of satisfactory quantity, quality and pressure is available,
connection shall be made thereto and its supply shall be used exclusively.
Where a satisfactory public water system is not available, the development
of the private water supply system shall be approved by the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection.
The well or suction line of the water supply
system shall be located and constructed in such a manner that neither
underground nor surface contamination will reach the water supply
from any source.
No well-casings, pumps, pumping machinery or
suction pipes shall be placed in any pit, room or space extending
below ground level, nor in any room or space above ground which is
walled in or otherwise enclosed, unless such rooms, whether above
or below ground, have free drainage by gravity to the surface of the
ground.
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.
The water piping system shall not be connected
with nonpotable water or questionable water supplies and shall be
protected against the hazards of backflow or back siphonage.
The system shall be so designed and maintained
so as to provide a pressure of not less than 20 pounds per square
inch under normal operating conditions at each mobile home lot, at
service buildings and other locations requiring potable water supply.
Individual water riser pipes shall be located
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.
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 drains shall be diverted from the location of the riser pipe.
An adequate and safe sewerage system shall be provided
in all parks for conveying and disposing of sewage from mobile homes,
service buildings and other accessory facilities. Wherever feasible,
connection shall be made to a public system. The system shall be designed,
constructed and maintained in accordance with Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection regulations.
Each mobile home lot shall be provided with
at least a three-inch diameter sewer riser pipe. 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.
The sewer connection shall have a nominal inside
diameter of not less than three inches, and the slope of any portion
thereof shall be at least 1/4 inch per foot. All points shall be watertight.
Provision shall be made for plugging the sewer
riser pipe when a mobile home does not occupy the lot. Surface drainage
shall be diverted away from the riser pipe. The rim of the riser pipe
shall extend at least 1/2 inch above ground.
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 park water supply system. All sewer lines shall
be constructed of materials approved by the Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection, and shall have watertight joints.
Where the sewer lines of mobile home parks are not
connected to a public sewer, all proposed sewage disposal facilities
shall be approved by the Department of Environmental Protection prior
to construction. Effluents from sewage treatment facilities shall
be discharged only as permitted by the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection.
Every park shall contain an electrical wiring system
consisting of wiring, fixtures, equipment and appurtenances which
shall be installed and maintained in accordance with local electric
power company specifications, National Electrical Code, and local
and state codes and ordinances. Inspection by a qualified electrical
inspection agency shall be made of all private electrical systems.
Power lines shall be located underground in accordance
with Pennsylvania PUC Order Docket No. 99. All direct burial conductors
or cable shall be buried below the ground surface and shall be insulated
and specifically designed for the purpose.
Each mobile home lot shall be provided with an approved
disconnect device and over-current protective equipment. The minimum
service per mobile home outlet shall be 120/140 volts AC, 200 amperes.
All exposed non-current-carrying metal parts of mobile
homes and all other equipment shall be grounded by means of an approved
grounding conductor run with branch circuit conductors or other approved
method of grounded metallic wiring. The neutral conductor shall not
be used as an equipment ground for mobile homes or other equipment.
Streetlighting shall be provided to illuminate streets,
driveways, parking areas and walkways for the safe movement of vehicles
and pedestrians at night.
No central toilet or washroom facilities may be constructed
in any mobile home park, and each mobile home so parked therein shall
be equipped with toilet and washroom facilities which shall be attached
to central sewage and water facilities as provided for each lot.
Central laundry facilities may be permitted and such
facilities shall be maintained in clean condition free from accumulation
of wastewater, trash or any other noxious or offensive accumulation.
Such facilities may be shielded from other buildings by fence or vegetation
of sufficient height to bar view.
The storage, collection and disposal of solid waste
and refuse in the mobile home park shall be so conducted as to create
no health hazards, no rodent harborage, insect breeding areas, accident
or fire hazards or air pollution.
All refuse containing garbage shall be collected at
least once weekly. Where suitable collection service is not available
from municipal or private agencies, the management shall provide this
service.
Natural gas piping systems when installed in mobile
home parks shall be maintained in conformity with accepted engineering
practices. All gas piping installed below ground shall have a minimum
earth cover of 18 inches. Gas piping shall not be installed under
any mobile home.
Each mobile home lot provided with piped gas shall
have an approved shutoff valve installed upstream of the gas outlet.
The outlet shall be equipped with an approved cap to prevent accidental
discharge of gas when the outlet is not in use.