A.
Individual mobile homes. Individual mobile homes may be erected on any lot where the use is permitted, provided that compliance is made with zoning requirements, §§ 122-53A and B, 122-55A(3) and C and 122-57 of this article and all other applicable regulations. Tracts of land may be developed and improved for the purpose of erecting two or more mobile homes, provided that the zoning requirements, all requirements of this Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, including those sections referenced above, and other applicable regulations are met.
B.
Mobile home developments. The provisions of this article
shall be followed in the construction or alteration of all mobile
home developments (as defined in this chapter) planned in accordance
with the Mobile Home Development District of the Township Zoning Ordinance.[1] These regulations are in addition to those set forth in
the Township Zoning Ordinance and other applicable regulations of
the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance as referenced
herein, and compliance with all regulations of both ordinances is
required unless the subdivision and land development provisions are
waived by the Township Board of Supervisors or variances are granted
by the Township Zoning Hearing Board.
The uses allowed within a mobile home development
shall be as specified in the Franconia Township Zoning Ordinance.[1]
All applications for mobile home developments shall follow the procedures established in Article II, Plan Requirements and Processing Procedures, of this chapter.
All regulations in the Township Zoning Ordinance[1] applicable to mobile home developments shall be adhered
to. In addition thereto, the following regulations shall apply:
A.
Arrangement of structures and facilities. The tract,
including mobile home stands, patios, other dwellings and structures
and all tract improvements shall be organized in relation to topography,
the shape of the plot and the shape, size and position of structures
and common facilities. Special attention shall be given to new mobile
home designs and to common appurtenances that are available.
B.
Adaptation to tract assets. Each mobile home unit
or other dwelling or structure shall be fitted to the terrain with
a minimum disturbance of the land and a minimum 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. Favorable views shall be emphasized
by the plan.
C.
Courts and spaces. Groups or clusters of units, so
placed as to create interior spaces and courtyards, shall be incorporated
whenever feasible.
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 rather than their ends,
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 the 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 this Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance
shall be adhered to for all public roads in and abutting mobile home
developments. In those developments wherein the roads are to be maintained
as private internal roadways, owned and maintained by the mobile home
park operator or owned and maintained in common by the residents/owners
of the individual lots, the standards shall be as follows:
(a)
Right-of-way. There shall be an equivalent right-of-way,
as defined herein, reserved along those streets which are designed
to function as feeder or collector roads and which connect major exterior
roadways, form major loops, traverse the development or provide major
or important access to adjacent parcels. No equivalent right-of-way
is required on other roads. On those roads where an equivalent right-of-way
is required, parallel parking may be permitted, but perpendicular
or angle parking is discouraged.
(b)
Pavement. Pavement width of all residential
streets serving as access to mobile home lots shall be not less than
30 feet, except that this may be reduced to not less than twenty-two
feet on a street serving as access to no more than 20 mobile home
lots where parking is provided in common areas within 300 feet of
all dwelling units at a rate of 0.3 space per mobile home. Curbing
along the pavement areas may be required at the discretion of the
Township Engineer.
[Amended 9-14-1987 by Ord. No. 136]
(c)
Grades. Gradients on all residential streets
shall not exceed 10%.
(d)
Culs-de-sac. A paved turnaround area with a
minimum radius of 55 feet shall be provided at the closed end of any
cul-de-sac road serving as the sole access to four or more mobile
home lots. No permanently closed cul-de-sac street shall exceed 800
feet in length or serve as the sole access to more than 20 mobile
home lots.
(e)
Other requirements. All other applicable requirements
of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance relating to grades,
vertical curves, horizontal curves, tangents between curves, sight
distance, construction specifications, intersection alignment, intersection
radius, interconnection of adjacent parcels and similar regulations
shall be adhered to in all mobile home park developments.
(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 ordained
as a public way, unless this requirement is waived by the governing
body subsequent to determining that compliance with the requirement
would have a negative effect on the mobile home development.
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 only be required on 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 a paved street. Such individual walks shall have a minimum width
of two feet.
H.
Parking.
(1)
Spaces required. Two paved off-street parking spaces
shall be provided for each dwelling either on the same lot therewith
or in common parking facilities, provided that parking areas contained
therein are within 150 feet of the mobile home lots for which they
are intended. Parking for any commercial or other nonresidential use
shall follow the requirements otherwise applicable for such uses.
I.
Common open space. The following regulations shall
apply:
(1)
Arrangement. The common space shall be designed as
a contiguous area unless the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction
of the governing body 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 do not have 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.
K.
Drainage considerations. The site drainage requirements shall be those set forth under § 122-26 of this chapter.
[Amended 9-14-1987 by Ord. No. 136]
L.
Ground cover requirement. Exposed ground surfaces
in all parts of every mobile home development 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. Impervious pavement shall be
kept to a minimum. All ground surfaces shall be appropriately maintained.
M.
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
governing body for the safety and convenience of the mobile home development
residents and shall be installed by the developer.
A.
Ownership. Common open space and roadways shall be
offered for dedication to the township or public use assured through
easements or other appropriate means, in any mobile home development
where all lots will be sold or where the township governing body determines
those facilities to be key elements in the open space and/or circulation
systems of the township, in accordance with the Township Comprehensive
Plan. In all other cases, these and other common elements may be retained
in private ownership or may be owned jointly by the residents of the
development.
B.
Maintenance. Prior to development plan approval, provision
acceptable to the township governing body and Solicitor for the maintenance
of all common elements which will not be owned and maintained by a
governmental agency shall be established.
C.
Service building. The structure or structures containing
the management office and other common facilities shall be conveniently
located for the use intended. Consolidation of laundry, recreation,
management and other common facilities in a single building and location
is encouraged, if the single location will adequately serve all mobile
home lots.
A.
Water supply.
(1)
General requirements. An adequate supply for domestic,
auxiliary and fire-fighting uses shall be provided for all uses included
in the mobile home development, including service buildings and accessory
facilities.
(2)
Water-distribution system. All water piping, fixtures
and other equipment shall be constructed and maintained in accordance
with state and local regulations as well as those of the servicing
utility.
(3)
Individual water-riser pipes and connections: mobile
homes.
(a)
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
ensuring the shortest water connection possible and decreasing susceptibility
to water-pipe freezing.
(b)
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.
(c)
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.
(4)
Fire protection. All mobile home developments shall
be provided with fire hydrants to meet the specifications of the Middlestates
Department Association of Fire Underwriters. In addition, those hydrants
shall be in sufficient numbers to be within 600 feet of all existing
and proposed mobile homes and other dwellings and structures, measured
by way of accessible streets or common areas.
B.
Sewage disposal.
(1)
General requirements. An adequate and safe sewerage system shall be provided in all mobile home developments for conveying and disposing of sewage from dwellings, service buildings and accessory facilities in accordance with § 122-28 of this chapter.
(2)
Sewer system. 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.
The system shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with
all state and township regulations, as well as those of the servicing
utility.
(3)
Individual sewer connections: mobile homes.
(a)
Each mobile home stand shall be provided with
a sewer riser pipe 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.
(b)
The sewer connection shall have an inside diameter
and slope as required by the servicing utility, or in lack thereof,
by the Township Engineer. All joints shall be watertight.
(c)
All materials used for sewer connections shall
be semirigid, corrosive resistant, nonabsorbent and durable. The inner
surface shall be smooth.
(d)
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. The rim of the riser pipe shall
extend at least 1/2 inch above ground elevation.
C.
Underground utilities. All electric, natural gas,
telephone and any other utility lines shall be placed underground
in all mobile home developments and each shall have the necessary
shutoff valves and other safety requirements normally associated with
safe operation; all utility connections shall be appropriately capped
for safety purposes whenever a mobile home stand is not occupied.
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 Franconia
Township. No mobile home or other structure shall be occupied until
a valid occupancy permit has been issued by the 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 obtain:
[1]
A valid permit issued by the Pennsylvania Department
of Conservation and Natural Resources, in the name of the operator,
for a specified construction, alteration or extension proposed.
[2]
Valid permit(s) authorizing construction and
initial occupancy issued by the Franconia Township Zoning Officer
in the name of the operator, which shall not be issued until a copy
of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources permit has
been furnished, all permits for water supply and sewage systems shall
have been obtained and all other requirements contained herein have
been complied with, and final approval of the application has been
granted by the governing body.
(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 Conservation and Natural
Resources and to the Franconia 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 governing body of Franconia Township.
(2)
The fee for the annual license required for mobile
home developments having lots for lease shall be prescribed by regulation
of the governing body 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 Franconia Township may inspect a mobile
home development after due notice to determine compliance with this
article.
(2)
Upon receipt of the application for annual license
and before issuing such annual license, the Zoning Officer or other
designated representative of Franconia 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.
A.
Mobile home stands. 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 all mobile homes.
B.
Anchoring. Every mobile home placed within a mobile
home development shall be anchored to the mobile home stand where
it is located prior to the unit being occupied or used in any other
way, or the expiration of seven days, whichever occurs first. The
anchoring system shall be designed to resist a minimum wind velocity
of 90 miles per hour.
C.
Stability. All mobile homes placed within a mobile
home development shall, prior to occupancy or other use, be affixed
to their mobile home stands 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.
D.
Skirts. 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.
E.
Hitch. 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.
All mobile homes placed within the Floodplain
Conservation District as a special exception pursuant to Article XVIII,
FP Floodplain Conservation District, § 145-112, of the Franconia
Township Zoning Ordinance[1] and subsequent to the adoption of this chapter must meet
the following requirements, in addition to all other applicable township
regulations.
A.
Stands on lots shall be elevated on compacted fill
or on pilings so that the lowest floor of each mobile home will be
at least one foot above the base flood elevation.
C.
Access for a mobile home hauler shall be provided.
D.
When mobile homes are to be elevated on pilings, lots
shall be large enough to permit steps, piles shall be placed in stable
soil no more than 10 feet apart, and reinforcement shall be provided
for pilings more than six feet above ground level.
E.
All buildings and structures shall be firmly anchored
in accordance with accepted engineering practices to prevent flotation,
collapse and lateral movement, thus reducing the threat to life and
property and decreasing the possibility of the blockage of bridge
openings and other restricted sections of the watercourse.
F.
All air ducts, large pipes and storage tanks located
at or below the first-floor level shall be firmly anchored to resist
flotation.
G.
All mobile homes shall be anchored to resist flotation,
collapse or lateral movement by providing over-the-top and frame ties
to ground anchors. Specifically:
(1)
Over-the-top ties shall be provided at each of the
four corners of the mobile home, with two additional ties per side
at intermediate locations and mobile homes less than 50 feet long
requiring one additional tie per side.
(2)
Frame ties shall be provided at each corner of the
home with five additional ties per side at intermediate points, with
mobile homes less than 50 feet long requiring four additional ties
per side.
(3)
All components of the anchoring system shall be capable
of carrying a force of 4,800 pounds.
(4)
Any additions to a mobile home shall be similarly
anchored.
All requirements stipulated in this article
shall be performed to the satisfaction of the Township Planning Commission
and Engineer.
