Chapter 17.36 MOBILE HOME PARKS

The intent of this chapter is to provide for mobile home park development at appropriate locations and to establish standards for development in order to integrate mobile homes into an area without adversely affecting surrounding property and to provide safeguards for residents of mobile homes. (Ord. 93 §1(18.1), 1982)

17.36.020 Definitions.

For the purpose of this chapter, definitions in Chapter 17.04 of this title shall apply except for the following terms:

A. "Density" means the number of mobile home units per acre.

B. "Lot" means the total area reserved within a mobile home park for the placement of one mobile home and the exclusive use of its occupants.

C. "Mobile home stand" means that part of an individual lot which has been reserved for the placement of a mobile home, appurtenant structures or additions.

D. "Recreation area" means an area including open spaces and playgrounds and buildings and apparatus designed for recreational activities set aside for the use of the mobile home park residents.

E. "Site" means the entire gross area of the mobile home park. (Ord. 93 §1(18.2), 1982)

17.36.030 Permitted uses.

Permitted uses in mobile home parks are:

A. Accessory buildings and uses customarily incidental thereto. No part of any park shall be used for nonresidential purposes, except such uses that are required for direct servicing and well being of park residents and for management and maintenance of the park. Nothing in this section shall be deemed as prohibiting the sale of a mobile home located on a mobile home stand and connected to the pertinent utilities;

B. Mobile homes;

C. Signs as follows:

1. One entry and one exit sign at each access drive onto public right-of-way. In no case shall the sign be larger than two square feet in surface area, nor have any moving parts,

2. One identification sign on each major street frontage, approved in conjunction with the final site plan on the mobile home park. In no case shall such a sign be larger than forty square feet in surface area nor have any moving parts or flashing lights nor stand higher than the height limitation within the district of the proposed location of the mobile home park. Such sign shall be no closer to public right-of-way line than twenty feet. (Ord. 93 §1(18.3), 1982)

17.36.040 More restrictive regulations shall apply.

The regulations in this district shall not be interpreted so as to supersede or amend any state or federal regulations pertaining to mobile home park development. These regulations are intended to be supplemental to other established mobile home park regulations and their amendments. When the standards and regulations in this district are more restrictive than other established standards and regulations, the more restrictive shall be used. (Ord. 93 §1(18.4), 1982)

17.36.050 Permits.

It is unlawful for any person to construct, alter, or extend any mobile home park unless he holds necessary valid permits issued by the Division of Environmental Sanitation, State Department of Health and the town building official. (Ord. 93 §1(18.5), 1982)

17.36.060 Licenses.

It is unlawful for any person to operate any mobile home park unless he holds a valid license issued by the town clerk. (Ord. 93 §1(18.6), 1982)

17.36.070 Design standards--Generally.

Any person desiring to enlarge or establish a mobile home park shall meet or exceed the design standards in Sections 17.36.080 through 17.36.230. (Ord. 93 §1(18.7(part)), 1982)

17.36.080 Site.

The mobile home park site shall not be exposed to smoke, dust, noise, odors, or other adverse influences which might create damage to property or bring harm to occupants of the park. (Ord. 93 §1(18.7.1), 1982)

17.36.090 Site size.

Minimum size for a mobile home park shall be five acres with a minimum of twenty-five lots. (Ord. 93 §1(18.7.2), 1982)

17.36.100 Density.

The maximum density of mobile home parks shall be regulated by separation requirements, lot area requirements, and recreation area requirements as set forth in this title. In no case shall the density of a mobile home park exceed the density of the district in which it is located. (Ord. 93 §1(18.7.3), 1982)

17.36.110 Site coverage.

Maximum mobile home lot coverage shall not exceed fifty percent. Coverage shall mean any manmade apparatus. (Ord. 93 §1(18.7.4), 1982)

17.36.120 Access.

All mobile home parks shall have access to a collector street. (Ord. 93 §1(18.7.5), 1982)

17.36.130 Lot size.

Minimum lot area shall be five thousand square feet with no less than fifty feet of lot width where both municipal or community water and sanitary sewer systems are available. Where community systems are not available, lot size will be determined by soil and water conditions and approved by the State Board of Health. (Ord. 93 §1(18.7.6), 1982)

17.36.140 Mobile home stand.

Each mobile home lot shall be provided with a well-drained stand with a firm base, approved by the town council for the placement of the mobile home. Each stand must be at least twelve by fifty feet for single-wide units and twenty-four by fifty feet for double-wide units. (Ord. 93 §1(18.7.7), 1982)

17.36.150 Setback.

A. All mobile homes and accessory buildings shall be set back not less than twenty feet from all property lines. Front and street setbacks shall be the same as the front yard requirements of the district in which the mobile home park is to be located.

B. Within the mobile home park, mobile homes shall be located a minimum of twenty-five feet apart side to side; a minimum of fifteen feet apart rear to rear or end to end or side to rear; a minimum of fifteen feet from any interior roadway and twenty-five feet from any public roadway. Any accessory structure such as attached awnings, carports, etc., shall, for the purpose of this chapter, be considered a part of the mobile home. (Ord. 93 §1(18.7.8), 1982)

17.36.160 Height.

Maximum height for any structures within a mobile home park shall be that of the district in which the park is to be located. (Ord. 93 §1(18.7.9), 1982)

17.36.170 Streets.

A. All mobile home parks shall be provided with safe and convenient vehicular access from abutting public streets and throughout the mobile home park.

B. Street widths should be of adequate widths to accommodate any contemplated parking and expected traffic load, but, in all cases, shall meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Collector streets with guest parking thirty-six feet wide face of curb to face of curb;

2. Collector streets with no parking twenty-two feet wide face of curb to face of curb;

3. Minor streets with no parking twenty feet wide face of curb to face of curb;

4. All dead-end streets shall be limited to a maximum length of five hundred feet and shall be provided with a cul-de-sac of at least one hundred feet in diameter;

5. Minimum access width to each mobile home stand shall be twelve feet. (Ord. 93 §1(18.7,10), 1982)

17.36.180 Parking.

A. Off-street parking spaces shall be provided in convenient locations and in sufficient numbers to meet the needs of the occupants of the mobile home park and their guests but in no case shall the number of spaces be less than two spaces per lot plus an additional space for each four lots.

B. Minimum size of each parking space shall be nine feet in width by twenty feet in length. (Ord. 93 §1(18.7.11), 1982)

17.36.190 Walks.

Safe, convenient, all-season walks, minimum width of five feet shall be provided in locations where pedestrian traffic is concentrated. (Ord. 93 §1 (18.7.12), 1982)

17.36.200 Recreation area.

A minimum of ten percent of the gross site area shall be reserved for park and recreation development. Such areas shall be cumulated into central locations and shall be designed with trees, grass, benches, recreational equipment, etc., in relation to park residents. (Ord. 93 §1(18.7.13), 1982)

17.36.210 Landscaping.

Landscaping may be required to provide a buffer between mobile home parks and adjacent properties in other district classifications. Examples of what may be required are:

A. A greenbelt strip of natural tree cover may be left in its natural state. However, cutting, removal and replacement of older natural tree vegetation shall be allowed;

B. A greenbelt planting strip of not less than twenty feet in width along the perimeter of the mobile home park where it abuts public right-of-way or an area zoned in any other district classification. The greenbelt shall be developed and maintained thereafter in a neat and orderly manner;

C. A continual ornamental wall six feet in height above grade, erected one foot off property line abutting property of another district classification and six feet from public rights-of-way. Such wall shall be landscaped with suitable plant materials along both sides of the wall except where prohibited in Chapter 17.30. (Ord. 93 §1 (18.7.14), 1982)

17.36.220 Utilities.

Utilities shall be provided in the following manner or by an alternative manner approved by the town council:

A. All sanitary sewage utilities and water facilities, including connections provided to individual lots, shall meet the requirements of the town;

B. The plumbing connections to each mobile home lot shall be constructed so that all lines are protected from freezing, from accidental bumping or from creating any type of nuisance or health hazard;

C. An adequate amount of running water shall be piped to each mobile home;

D. Storm drainage facilities, where necessary, shall be so constructed as to protect those that will reside in the mobile home park as well as the property owners adjacent to the park. Such park facilities shall be of such capacity to insure rapid drainage and prevent the accumulation of water in, or adjacent to, the park;

E. All electric, telephone and other lines from supply poles to each mobile home lot shall be underground. When meters are installed they shall be uniformly located;

F. All fuel lines leading to mobile home lots shall be underground, and so designed as to conform with any state code that is found to be applicable;

G. Facilities for the storage and disposal of trash and garbage in a sanitary and lawful manner shall be provided in each mobile home park;

H. When exterior television antenna installation is necessary, a master antenna shall be installed and extended to individual stands by underground lines. Such master antenna shall be so placed as not to be a nuisance to park residents or surrounding areas;

I. Street and yard lights, attached to standards approved by the town shall be provided in sufficient number and intensity to permit the safe movement of vehicles and pedestrians at night, and shall be effectively related to buildings, trees, walks, steps and ramps;

J. The erection, construction, reconstruction, repair, relocation and/or alteration of all permanent buildings and structures located within a mobile home park shall conform to the requirements of applicable building codes adopted by the town and applicable administrative rules or regulations adopted by the Department of Public Health and Human Services or other state agency;

K. All mobile home parks developed under this title shall comply with Montana State Department of Health’s Regulation No. 53-43-8 or any amendment thereto concerning plumbing and electrical requirements. (Ord. 210 §11, 2003; Ord. 93 §1(18.7.15), 1982)

17.36.230 Fire protection.

The water supply system serving the mobile home park shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the local fire prevention authority or the system shall meet the standards for adequate fire protection established by the National Fire Protection Association Standard NFPA No. 501A, whichever is more stringent. Nonetheless, fire protection systems must be approved by the town council. (Ord. 93 §1(18.7.16), 1982)

17.36.240 Approval.

Approval of a mobile home park shall be obtained through conditional use permit procedure as specified in Chapter 17.32 of this title. The town council may require other standards and safeguards as specific locations and circumstances dictate and as provided under Chapter 17.32 of this title. (Ord. 93 §1(18.8), 1982)