Chapter 18.04
GENERAL PROVISIONS AND ADMINISTRATION
Sections:
18.04.010 Repealer and effective date.
18.04.050 Relationship to other laws.
18.04.010 Repealer and effective date.
Ordinance 1987-07, adopted June 29, 1987, and Ordinance 1993-01, adopted June 21, 1993 are hereby repealed as of the effective date of the ordinance codified in this title. (Ord. 2002-17)
18.04.020 Applicability.
A. Small-Scale Recreational Vehicle Parks. Every recreational vehicle park containing fifteen or fewer designated recreational vehicle sites, or any expansions, alterations or revisions to parks that will result in fifteen or fewer recreational vehicle sites, within the unincorporated area of Skamania County shall proceed in compliance with this title, except those portions that specifically state they pertain to large-scale recreational vehicle parks or mobile home parks or mixed-use mobile home parks.
B. Large-Scale Recreational Vehicle Parks. Every recreational vehicle park containing more than fifteen recreational vehicle sites, or any expansions, alterations or revisions to parks that will result in more than fifteen sites, within the unincorporated area of Skamania County shall proceed in compliance with this title, except those portions that specifically state they pertain to small-scale recreational vehicle parks or mobile home parks or mixed-use mobile home parks.
C. Mobile Home Parks and Mixed-Use Mobile Home Parks. Every mobile home park or mixed-use mobile home park, or any expansions, alterations or revisions to existing parks within the unincorporated area of Skamania County shall proceed in compliance with this title, except those portions that specifically state they pertain to small-scale recreational vehicle parks or large-scale recreational vehicle parks. Any mobile home park that includes sites for recreational vehicle use shall comply with this chapter.
D. Any mobile home or recreational vehicle park given preliminary plan approval by the board of county commissioners under Ordinance No. 1973-4, Ordinance No. 1973-1, or Ordinance No. 1987-07, prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this title will not be subject to compliance with this title. Any expansions, alterations or revisions to these parks shall comply with this title, except that improvements to existing utility services, i.e., water, sewer, electric, etc., does not constitute an alteration or revision as set forth above.
E. Any recreational vehicle park, mobile home park or mixed-use park discontinued by the owner’s official notice of intent to abandon for a period of one year shall be subject to provisions of this title.
F. A recreational vehicle park may allow tent camping subject to the rules pertaining to dependent recreational vehicle sites.
G. Mobile home or recreational vehicle parks do not constitute a division of land. Individual sites within a mobile home or recreational vehicle park may not be separately sold except as provided in SCC Title 17
H. Mobile home parks do not include mobile homes that are placed on a parcel in such a way that they meet the minimum lot size of the zoning designation where located, and are not rented or leased. (Ord. 2002-17)
18.04.030 Administration.
The Skamania County department of planning and community development (department) shall be responsible for the general administration of this title. The director of that department, or the director’s designee shall serve as administrator of this title. (Ord. 2002-17)
18.04.040 Fees.
The board of county commissioners shall establish an application review fee from time to time to cover the administrative cost for reviewing and processing applications. The nonrefundable fee shall be submitted to the department along with the preliminary plan for review. Checks shall be made payable to the Skamania County treasurer. (Ord. 2002-17)
18.04.050 Relationship to other laws.
Applicants shall be required to comply with all applicable local, state and federal laws in effect at the time of the application. Applications will only be accepted when it has been deemed complete by the department and all of the fees have been paid. (Ord. 2002-17)
18.04.060 Definitions.
Whenever the following words and phrases appear in this title, this section shall give them the meaning attributed to them. When consistent with the context, words used in the present tense shall include the future; the singular shall include the plural, and the plural the singular; the word “shall” is always mandatory, and the word “may” indicates a use of discretion in making a decision.
“Associated recreational vehicles” means those vehicles that are not intended, or licensed for use on roadways, and are moved from place to place by means of a vehicle or trailer. These would include, but are not limited to bicycles, canoes, kayaks, boats, jet skis, snowmobiles, dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles.
“Board of county commissioners” means the Skamania County board of county commissioners.
“Department” means the Skamania County department of planning and community development.
“Developer” means a person intending to develop or developing a mobile home park or recreational vehicle park.
“District health officer” means a representative of the local health authority.
“Easement” means a grant by a property owner to specific persons or to the public to use land for a specific purpose or purposes.
“Hearing examiner” means an appointed official vested with the duties established by Skamania County Ordinance Number 2006-16.
“Mobile home” means a dwelling unit that is placed on a parcel other than the parcel where it is made or assembled, is equipped with the necessary service connections for the hook up of required utilities, may or may not require a permanent foundation as per manufacturer’s instruction (i.e., mobile homes and manufactured homes), and that does not meet the requirements of the applicable building codes. This definition does not include recreational vehicles.
“Mobile home park” means a parcel of land designed into sites for the purpose of lease or rent of three or more mobile homes. Mixed-use mobile home parks are those parks that provide sites for both mobile homes and recreational vehicles.
“Owner(s)” means a person, firm, corporation, partnership, association, or agency of state, county, or municipal government, or agency of the federal government, which is subject to the jurisdiction of the state that has an ownership interest as defined by this title.
“Ownership interest” means any person, firm, corporation, or other legal entity that holds fee simple title or has any other legal or equitable interest in property being used or developed for a mobile home or recreational vehicle park. This term shall not include a holder of any lien or other secured party.
Plan, Conceptual. “Conceptual plan” means an approximate drawing or site plan of a proposed mobile home or recreational vehicle park showing the general layout of roads, all proposed sites, and other elements consistent with the requirements of this title for use in the pre-submission conference.
Plan, Final. “Final plan” means the final drawing of the mobile home or recreational vehicle park prepared for filing with the county auditor and other elements consistent with the requirements of this title.
Plan, Preliminary. “Preliminary plan” means a neat and approximate drawing of a proposed mobile home or recreational vehicle park showing the general layout of roads, all proposed sites, and other elements consistent with the requirements of this title. The preliminary plan shall be the basis for the approval or disapproval of the general layout of a park development.
“Recreational vehicle” means a vehicle or trailer designed or used for recreational camping or travel use, whether self-propelled or mounted on or drawn by another vehicle, or any structure inspected, approved and designated a recreational vehicle by and bearing the insignia of the state of Washington or any other state or federal agency having the authority to approve recreational vehicles. Recreational vehicles include any dependent or independent recreational vehicle which are described as follows:
1. “Dependent recreational vehicle” means any tent, trailer, camper, motor home or similar recreational vehicles that do not have self-contained sewer, water or electrical systems, which is dependent upon a service building for toilet and lavatory facilities.
2. “Independent recreational vehicle” means any trailer, camper, motor home, or similar recreational vehicles, which can operate independent of connections to sewer, water and electrical systems. The vehicle may contain a water-flushed toilet, lavatory, shower or kitchen sink, all of which are connected to water storage and sewage holding tanks located within the vehicle.
“Recreational vehicle park (RV park)” means a parcel of land containing three or more recreational vehicle sites, and/or three or more occupied recreational vehicles. Recreational vehicle parks can serve dependent and/or independent recreational vehicles. Recreational vehicle parks shall include both small-scale and large-scale recreational vehicle parks.
1. “Dependent recreational vehicle site” means a site provided for any tent, trailer, camper, motor home or similar recreational vehicles that do not have self-contained sewer, water or electrical systems, which is dependent upon a service building for toilet and lavatory facilities.
2. “Independent recreational vehicle site” means a site provided for any trailer, camper, motor home, or similar recreational vehicles, which can operate independent of connections to sewer, water and electrical systems. The vehicle may contain a water-flushed toilet, lavatory, shower or kitchen sink, all of which are connected to water storage and sewage holding tanks located within the vehicle.
“Service building” means a structure housing toilet, lavatory, shower and such other facilities as may be required by these regulations.
“Setback” means the required minimum distance between a fixed point as listed within this title and the closest point of a building or structure located thereon. (Ord. 2007-02 (part): Ord. 2002-17)
18.04.070 Penalties.
Any person who shall knowingly violate any of the provisions of Skamania County Code Title 18, or fail to comply herewith shall be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars per violation. A violation will be deemed to occur for each day that the violation continues after the person has been notified by certified mail or personal service of the apparent violation. A person may also be cited by the Skamania County sheriff’s office into the Skamania County district court. The imposition or payment of a penalty shall not excuse the violation, or permit the violator to continue; and all such persons shall be required to correct or remedy such violations or defects within a reasonable time as specified by the planning director; and when not otherwise specified, each day that prohibited conditions are maintained shall constitute a separate offense. The Skamania County district court shall have jurisdiction over all complaints involving alleged violations of this title. (Ord. 2002-17)
18.04.080 Severability.
If any provision of this title or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this title or the application of the provisions to other persons or circumstances is not affected. (Ord. 2002-17)