Chapter 22C.240
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE PARKS

Sections:

22C.240.010    Purpose.

22C.240.020    General requirements.

22C.240.030    Criteria for locating a recreational vehicle park.

22C.240.040    Conditional use permit required.

22C.240.050    Health district approval required.

22C.240.060    Final site plan.

22C.240.070    Completion prior to occupancy – Phasing.

22C.240.080    Design standards.

22C.240.090    Accessory uses.

22C.240.100    Park administration.

22C.240.010 Purpose.

The purpose of this chapter shall be to ensure that recreational vehicle parks are located, developed and occupied in accordance with standards and regulations which will protect the health, safety, general welfare and convenience of the occupants of such parks and the citizens of the city of Marysville. (Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011).

22C.240.020 General requirements.

(1) No recreational vehicle shall be occupied overnight unless the same is parked inside an approved recreational vehicle park. An exception to this rule may be granted for temporary uses as defined in Chapter 22C.110 MMC, subject to strict compliance with the requirements of said section.

(2) No recreational vehicle shall be occupied for commercial purposes anywhere in the city of Marysville. An exception to this rule may be granted for temporary uses as defined in Chapter 22C.110 MMC, subject to strict compliance with the requirements of said section.

(3) No recreational vehicle shall be used as a permanent place of abode, or dwelling, for indefinite periods of time. Occupancy in a park for more than 180 days in any 12-month period shall be conclusively deemed to be permanent occupancy. Any action toward removal of wheels of a recreational vehicle, except for temporary purposes of repair, or placement of the unit on a foundation, is hereby prohibited.

(4) No external appurtenances, such as carports, cabanas or patios, may be attached to any recreational vehicle while it is in a park.

(5) No space within a recreational vehicle park shall be rented for any purpose other than those expressly allowed by this chapter.

(6) No person, company or corporation shall establish or modify a recreational vehicle park without first complying with the provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011).

22C.240.030 Criteria for locating a recreational vehicle park.

Recreational vehicle parks may only be established on property within the city of Marysville which meets the following criteria:

(1) Recreational vehicle parks shall be allowed in all zones of the city except single-family and multiple-family residential zones.

(2) The minimum site area of a park shall be 10 acres. The maximum site area of a park, or combination of adjacent parks, shall be 15 acres. Parks shall be considered to be “adjacent” to one another unless they are separated by an unrelated land use, and not merely by a public or private street, easement or buffer strip.

(3) After development, the conditions of the soil, ground water level, drainage, and topography shall not create hazards to the property or to the health or safety of the occupants.

(4) Property under the jurisdiction of the Shoreline Management Act shall be excluded from development of recreational vehicle parks if it is designated as being in the natural environment.

(5) Parks shall be located with direct access to a major arterial or state highway and with appropriate frontage thereon to permit appropriate design of entrances and exits. No entrance or exit from a park shall be permitted through a residential district, nor require movement of traffic from the park through a residential district. (Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011).

22C.240.040 Conditional use permit required.

A recreational vehicle park shall be allowed only upon the issuance of a conditional use permit by the hearing examiner and city council. The owner, operator and occupants of a recreational vehicle park shall develop and use the park in strict compliance with the conditions imposed by the permit. The agency issuing the permit shall maintain continuing jurisdiction for the review and enforcement of said conditions. (Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011).

22C.240.050 Health district approval required.

Prior to occupancy of a recreational vehicle park, the owner shall obtain a permit from the Snohomish Health District and comply with all rules, regulations and requirements of said district. Said permit must be kept current at all times, subject to the park being closed. The rules, regulations and requirements of the health district shall be construed as being supplements to the provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011).

22C.240.060 Final site plan.

A site plan shall be submitted with all applications for a recreational vehicle park. Said site plan shall be subject to review, modification, approval or denial by the agency issuing the permit. An approved final site plan shall constitute an integral part of the permit for the recreational vehicle park, and shall be binding upon the owner of the property, its successors and assigns. All development within the recreational vehicle park shall be consistent with the final site plan. Such plans may be modified or amended at the request of an owner upon receiving administrative approval by the community development director; provided, that if said modification or amendment affects the external impacts of the recreational vehicle park, or is determined by the community development director to be substantial in nature, then such modification or amendment shall be resubmitted to the hearing examiner as a conditional use permit application pursuant to MMC 22G.010.340. (Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011).

22C.240.070 Completion prior to occupancy – Phasing.

All required site improvements and other conditions of the permit and final site plan shall be met prior to occupancy of any site by a recreational vehicle; provided, that completion may be accomplished by phases if approved by the community development director and security for performance in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 22G.040 MMC and acceptable to the community development director is received by the city. The community development director may also require security for maintenance for a period up to five years in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 22G.040 MMC. (Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011).

22C.240.080 Design standards.

The purpose of this section is to establish minimum design standards for recreational vehicle parks.

(1) Density. The number of recreational vehicles permitted in a park shall not exceed a density of 20 units per gross acre. The agency issuing the permit may limit density further to ensure compatibility with the surrounding areas.

(2) Campsite Size. Each individual recreational vehicle site shall be not less than 800 square feet in size.

(3) Access Points. Entrances and exits to the park shall be designed for safe and convenient movement of traffic into and out of the park and to minimize friction with free movement of traffic on adjacent streets. All traffic into and out of the park shall be through such entrances and exits. No entrance or exit shall require a turn at an acute angle for vehicles moving in the direction intended, and radii of curbs and pavements at intersections shall be such as to facilitate easy turning movements for vehicles with trailers attached. No material impediment to visibility shall be created or maintained which obscures the view of an approaching driver in the right lane of the street within 100 feet of the intersection with the park entrance.

(4) Parking. At least one parking space shall be provided on each site. At least one parking space for each 20 sites shall be provided for visitor parking in the park.

(5) Internal Park Roads. All internal park roads shall be privately owned and maintained. They shall be constructed to all-weather standards, as approved by the city engineer. Park roads shall have a minimum improved width as follows:

(a) One-way road, no parking: 11 feet;

(b) One-way road with parking on one side, or two-way road with no parking: 18 feet;

(c) Two-way road with parking on one side: 27 feet;

(d) Two-way road with parking on both sides: 34 feet.

(6) Open Space/Recreational Facilities. A minimum of 20 percent of the site shall be set aside and maintained as open space for the recreational use of park occupants. Such space and location shall be accessible and usable by all residents of the park for passive or active recreation. Parking spaces, driveways, access streets, and storage areas are not considered to be usable open space. The percentage requirement may be reduced if substantial and appropriate recreational facilities (such as recreational buildings, swimming pool or tennis courts) are provided.

(7) Setbacks. No recreational vehicle site shall be closer than 35 feet from any exterior park property line abutting upon a major arterial, shoreline, or residential zone, or 20 feet from any other exterior park property line. Permanent structures within a park shall have minimum front and rear yards of 20 feet each, and minimum side yards of 10 feet each.

(8) Landscaping/Screening.

(a) The park shall provide visual screening and landscaping as required in perimeter setback areas and open space. Landscaping may consist of suitable ground cover, shrubs and trees; provided, that they are installed prior to the first occupancy of the park and are of such species and size as would normally fulfill a screening function within five years of being planted. Site development shall be sensitive to the preservation of existing vegetation;

(b) Along the exterior site boundary, a minimum 20-foot-wide screen landscaped to the L1 standards shall be provided (see Chapter 22C.120 MMC, Landscaping and Screening). It shall be designed and maintained to be aesthetically pleasing, and functional for site screening and noise buffering;

(c) Where needed to enhance aesthetics or to ensure public safety, recreational vehicle parks shall be enclosed by a fence, wall, earth mound or by other designs which will complement the landscape and assure compatibility with the adjacent environment;

(d) All trees, flowers, lawns and other landscaping features shall be maintained by the park management in a healthy growing condition at all times.

(9) Signs. Signs and advertising devices shall be prohibited in recreational vehicle parks except:

(a) If the park is visible from Interstate 5, one on-site identification sign complying with the standards of the State Highway Signage Code;

(b) One identifying sign at each entrance of the park, which may be indirectly lit, but not flashing. Said sign shall comply with Chapter 22C.160 MMC;

(c) Directional and information signs for the convenience of occupants of the park in compliance with Chapter 22C.160 MMC.

(10) Utilities. Electricity shall be provided to each recreational vehicle site. All utility lines in the park shall be underground and shall be approved by the agency or jurisdiction providing the service.

(11) Storm Drainage. Storm drainage control facilities shall be subject to approval by the city engineer and shall comply with the city’s storm sewer code.

(12) Public Facilities. Recreational vehicle parks shall provide the following public facilities in such quantity, size and location as is approved by the agency issuing the conditional use permit:

(a) A water distribution system connected to the city’s water utility;

(b) A water station for filling recreational vehicle water storage tanks;

(c) Restroom facilities containing showers and toilets connected to the city’s sewer utility, the minimum number of which shall be one commode and one shower for each 20 recreational vehicle sites;

(d) A sanitary waste station for emptying sewage holding tanks of recreational vehicles;

(e) Refuse containers for solid waste in adequate quantity shall be rented from and serviced by the city of Marysville garbage utility. Park garbage shall be picked up daily by park personnel, who shall also maintain the park free of any uncontrolled garbage. (Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011).

22C.240.090 Accessory uses.

Management headquarters, recreational facilities, restrooms, dumping stations, showers, coin-operated laundry facilities, and other uses and structures customarily incidental to operation of a recreational vehicle park are permitted as accessory uses to the park. In addition, grocery stores and convenience shops shall be permitted as accessory uses in the discretion of the agency issuing the conditional use permit, subject to the following restrictions:

(1) Such establishments and the parking areas primarily related to their operations shall not occupy more than five percent of the gross area of the park.

(2) Such establishments shall present no visible evidence from any street outside the park of their commercial character which would attract customers other than occupants of the park.

(3) The structures housing such facilities shall not be located closer than 50 feet to any public street and shall not be directly accessible from any public street, but shall be accessible only from a street within the park. (Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011).

22C.240.100 Park administration.

(1) The owner of a recreational vehicle park shall be responsible for the development and maintenance of the park in strict conformity with the binding site plan, the conditional use permit, and all applicable laws and ordinances. Each park shall have an on-site manager available 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

(2) A written management plan shall be submitted for approval as a part of the conditional use permit process. It shall include, at a minimum, the proposed management structure, proposed park rules and regulations, and proposed methods to enforce occupancy limitations and other requirements of this chapter. (Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011).