[Amended 3-15-1989 by Ord. No. 89-1; 11-4-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-03]
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 and all sections of this chapter which apply
to subdivisions and development of single-family detached dwellings,
and applicable local, state or federal building codes.
B.
Mobile home parks or developments. The provisions of this article
shall be followed in the construction or alteration of all mobile
home parks. These provisions are in addition to other applicable regulations
of this chapter. Compliance with the Township Zoning Ordinance is
required.
The following regulations shall apply to mobile home parks or
developments:
A.
Arrangement of structure 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 common facilities. Special attention shall be given
to new mobile home designs and to common appurtenances that are available.
B.
Adaption 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 formation, 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.
E.
Street layout. Street patterns unrelated to the topography of the
site are to be avoided.
F.
Roadways.
(1)
Standards. All Township standards for the construction of streets
contained in this chapter shall be adhered to for all public streets
in and abutting mobile home developments. In those developments wherein
the streets 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 streets, 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 streets. On those streets where an equivalent
right-of-way is required, parallel parking may be permitted, but perpendicular
or angle parking is not permitted.
(b)
Pavement. Pavement width of all residential streets serving
as access to mobile home lots shall be not less than 26 feet, except
that this may be reduced to not less than 20 feet on a street serving
as access to no more than 10 mobile home lots where parking is prohibited
along the road and off-street visitor parking is provided in common
areas within 300 feet of all dwelling units at a rate of 0.3 space
per mobile home.
(c)
Grades. Gradients on all residential streets shall not exceed
10%.
(d)
Cul-de-sac. A paved turnaround area with a minimum radius of
40 feet shall be provided at the closed end of any cul-de-sac road
serving as a sole access to four or more mobile home lots. No permanently
closed cul-de-sac street shall exceed 500 feet in length or serve
as the only access to more than 20 mobile home lots.
(2)
Access limitations. Mobile home lots may have direct access only
onto streets internal to the development. Direct access from a mobile
home lot shall not be permitted onto the streets surrounding the mobile
home park.
(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 streets prior to being ordained as a public way,
unless this requirement is waived by the Board of Supervisors subsequent
to determining that compliance with the requirement would have a negative
effect on the mobile home park.
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, 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
five 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 three
feet.
In addition to any requirements of the Township Zoning Ordinance,
the following regulations shall also apply:
A.
Arrangement and recreation.
(1)
Arrangement. The common space shall be designed as a contiguous area
unless the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the 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 park, 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 mobile home park.
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 topography that is conducive
to active and passive recreation.
B.
Buffers.
(1)
General requirements. Along all exterior property boundary lines a permanent buffer shall be provided in accordance with § 142-42G herein.
(2)
Existing buffers. In cases where the property line of a mobile home
development occurs along natural features which function as buffers,
including but not limited to mature vegetation, significant grade
changes or stream valleys which are likely to be permanently preserved,
buffering may be waived along that property line upon approval of
the Board of Supervisors upon recommendation of the Township Planning
Commission.
(3)
Buffer landscape plan. A landscaping plan shall be submitted in accordance with Article IV of this chapter, 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 or alternately the general characteristics of existing vegetation masses which are to be preserved.
A.
Ownership. Common open space and roadways shall be offered for dedication
to the Township for mobile home parks or open for public use through
easements or other appropriate means in any mobile home park where
all lots will be sold or where the Board of Supervisors determines
those facilities to be appropriate additions to the open space and/or
circulation systems of the Township. 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, provisions acceptance
to the Board of Supervisors and Township 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.
A.
Water supply.
(1)
General requirements. An adequate supply for domestic, auxiliary
and firefighting uses shall be provided for all uses included in the
mobile home development, including service buildings and accessory
facilities, in accordance with the Township Zoning Ordinance.
(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 connection.
(a)
Individual water-riser pipes shall be located within the confined
areas 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 pipes and to protect risers from heaving and
thawing actions of the 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 Middle States 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 the state requirements.
(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 regulations, as well as
those of the servicing utility.
(3)
Individual sewer connections.
(a)
Each mobile home stand shall be provided with a sewer riser
pipe consistent with the standards of the servicing utility. 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. All joints shall be watertight.
(c)
All material 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 riser 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
parks and each shall have the necessary shutoff valves and other safety
requirements normally associated with safe operations. All utility
connections shall be appropriately capped for safety purposes whenever
a mobile home stand is not occupied.
A.
Permits required.
(1)
Mobile home structures. In all mobile home developments, building
plans of every model of mobile home proposed for development shall
be submitted for review of conformance to the latest edition of the
Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards. Plans shall be
sealed with the manufacturer's certification that each building
plan meets all federal construction and safety standards in force
at that time.
(2)
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 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 to the lot in accordance
with standard procedures for any building activity in the Township.
No mobile home or other structure shall be occupied until a valid
occupancy permit has been issued by the Township.
(3)
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
Resources, in the name of the operator, for a special construction,
alteration or extension proposed.
[2]
Valid permit(s) authorizing construction of initial occupancy
issued by the Township Zoning Officer in the name of the operator.
All permits for water supply and sewage systems shall have been obtained.
[3]
Compliance with all other requirements contained herein.
[4]
Final approval of the application by the 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 Resources and to the 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 the state agencies
having jurisdiction and the standards of this article and other applicable
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.
(2)
The fee for the annual license required for mobile home developments
having lots for lease shall be prescribed by regulations 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 park or development, with lots for lease, the Building
Inspector or Zoning Officer 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 the Township shall make an inspection of the mobile home park to
determine compliance with this article and other applicable 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.
D.
Modular and mobile home inspections. The applicant or developer shall
inform the Township of the delivery date of a modular and/or mobile
home. The Township Building/Code Enforcement Officer shall inspect
the modular or mobile home upon its arrival at the site prior to installation,
to determine if it meets the Standards for the Installation of Mobile
Homes (ANSI/NFPA) publication No. 501A of 2013, or as last revised.
The Township Building/Code Enforcement Officer shall also inspect
a modular home after its installation and prior to occupancy by residents,
in order to determine its compliance with installation instruction
outlined in the Building System Approval Report, which shall be provided
by the applicant or developer.
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 from the date that it was delivered to the site, 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 for
protection of the utility connections.
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.