Chapter 20.60
MOBILE HOME PARKS
Sections:
20.60.020 Mobile home parks-Conditional use.
20.60.030 Mobile home parks-General provisions.
20.60.040 Mobile home parks-Lot (space) requirements.
20.60.050 Mobile home park-Utilities.
20.60.060 Mobile home parks-Expansion or alteration.
20.60.070 Mobile home parks-Size.
20.60.010 Applicability.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to the development of all mobile home parks in the city and shall be in addition to any standards of the zone district in which the park is to be located. Where the standards of the underlying zone district conflict with these standards, the more restrictive shall apply. (Ord. 1002 (Attachment A) (part), 1989)
20.60.020 Mobile home parks-conditional use.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, mobile home parks may only be authorized as a conditional use in the manner set forth in Chapter 20.66 and only in these districts where the use is so designated. (Ord. 1002 (Attachment A) (part), 1989)
20.60.030 Mobile home parks-general provisions.
Mobile home parks shall meet and comply with the following general standards and regulations:
(1) Density. Mobile home parks shall not exceed a maximum density of seven mobile homes per gross acre.
(2) Yards. Mobile homes or accessory buildings shall be located no closer than thirty-five feet from the front property lines, nor closer than twenty feet from the side or rear property line. However, if the side or rear property line abuts an arterial street, the minimum side or rear yard shall be thirty-five feet in width.
(3) Streets. The design and construction of the interior street system shall be sufficient to adequately serve the size and density of the development and shall comply with the following standards:
(A) All streets shall be paved with asphaltic material or concrete to a width of not less than twenty feet.
(B) The design and construction of the interior street system shall be approved by the city utilities superintendent.
(C) If the interior streets are to be named and street addresses assigned to the individual mobile home spaces, the street names and addresses shall be assigned in accordance with the city street name and numbering system.
(D) Parking on interior streets shall not be permitted unless the pavement width is thirty-five feet minimum.
(4) Walkways. Hard-surfaced, well-drained walkways of not less than thirty inches in width shall be provided such that each mobile home space has access to service buildings and recreation areas via the walkway system.
Sidewalks along the interior roads meeting the width and surfacing requirements of this section qualify as walkways.
(5) Recreation and Open Space. At least ten percent of the gross land area of the mobile home park shall be reserved for recreational and open space uses. This figure shall be in addition to any open space requirement of yards or any other provisions of this chapter. A portion of the open space not less than a contiguous two thousand five hundred square feet shall be set aside and separated from streets, driveways and parking areas as a play area suitable for the use of children.
(6) Buffering and Screening. A landscaped buffer area shall be maintained around the outer boundaries of the mobile home park. The buffer area shall be not less than twenty feet in width and shall be located along all park boundaries. Existing vegetation may be incorporated into the landscape scheme if appropriate. The amount and types of plant material shall be approved by the city council.
In addition to the landscaped buffer, the city council may require that a fence or wall be constructed along any or all sides of the park to mitigate the impact of the development on surrounding properties and uses.
(7) Signs. One sign per main entrance not more than four feet in height is permitted. The sign may be indirectly lit and shall be erected on private property in the mobile home park near the main entrance(s) The message shall be limited to the name of the mobile home park and whether there is space available to rent.
(8) Park Use. Mobile home parks shall accommodate only mobile homes and not vacation trailers unless the zone district in which the park is to be located also allows recreational vehicle parks. In that event, the city council may authorize mixed mobile home/recreational vehicle use of the park. (Ord. 1002 (Attachment A) (part), 1989)
20.60.040 Mobile home parks-lot (space) requirements.
Each lot or space for a mobile home within a mobile home park shall conform to the requirements of this section.
(1) Minimum Area. Mobile home lots shall not be less than two thousand five hundred square feet in area. The average area of all mobile home lots shall be three thousand square feet. No yard area, driveway, street, play area, service area or other area required by this title shall be considered as providing any part of the required mobile home space.
(2) Minimum Width and Depth. The minimum width of each mobile home lot shall be thirty feet and the mini mum depth shall be eighty feet. The minimum width on corner lots shall be fifty feet.
(3) Minimum Clearances. Exclusive of trailer tongues, which shall not project beyond the mobile home space, the minimum clearances between a mobile home and:
(A) Any other mobile home shall be fifteen feet;
(B) Any building, except when attached to the mobile home, shall be ten feet;
(C) Any exterior property line shall be twenty feet;
(D) Any public street shall be thirty-five feet;
(E) Any common driveway or common walk shall be five feet.
(4) Parking. Each mobile home space shall be provided with a driveway to accommodate off-street parking for two vehicles.
(5) Coverage. Not more than forty percent of a mobile home space may be covered by a mobile home and any other structures used in conjunction with the mobile home whether or not they are attached.
(6) Patio. Each mobile home space shall have a slab or patio of concrete, asphalt or flagstone or similar sub stance not less than twenty feet in length and six feet in width adjacent to each mobile home parking site.
(7) Boundaries of Space. The boundaries of each mobile home space shall be clearly defined and marked by a fence, planting or other suitable means approved by the city council; or by clearly visible, permanent markers at each corner of the space.
(8) Addition to Mobile Homes. Carports, and all other structures which are situated upon a mobile home space, shall conform to the requirements of city building code and Whatcom County health department regulations. Such additions and structures shall be considered as a portion of the mobile home for determining the extent of lot coverage, setback lines and all other requirements for mobile homes in like manner as if such additions and structures were a part of such mobile home. (Ord. 1002 (Attachment A) (part), 1989)
20.60.050 Mobile home park-utilities.
Mobile home park utility services and other services shall conform with the following requirements:
(1) Water Service. A water supply and distribution system shall be installed and maintained in conformance with the Whatcom County health department standards. Each mobile home space shall be served by this system and each mobile home shall be connected to the system.
(2) Sewage Disposal System A sewage disposal system shall be installed and maintained in conformance with the Whatcom County health department standards. Each mobile home space shall be served by this system and each mobile home shall be connected to the system.
Storm Drainage. Within each mobile home park storm drainage shall be provided in accordance with the following requirements:
(A) All areas of a mobile home park shall be graded in a manner so that there will be no areas of standing water at any time during the year unless such area is identified in the drainage plan as part of the on-site drainage system. Grading shall not obstruct the natural drainage of surrounding properties.
(B) Open drainage ditches are prohibited. All drainage systems shall be designed in accordance with city standards and approved by the utilities superintendent.
(3) Electrical Supply System. An underground electrical supply system shall be installed and maintained in conformance with applicable local and state regulations. Electrical service shall be available to every space.
(4) Lighting. All interior roadways and walkways shall be adequately lit at night.
(5) Other Utility Services. Other utility service such as natural gas, television cable, or telephone if provided shall be installed and maintained in conformance with all applicable local and state regulations. Such utilities shall be installed underground unless otherwise approved by the city council. (Ord. 1002 (Attachment A) (part), 1989)
20.60.060 Mobile home parks-expansion or alteration.
The expansion or alteration of existing mobile home parks may be authorized as a conditional use whether or not the park is a conforming use at its present location. Application shall be made and processed in the manner set forth for conditional uses in Chapter 20.66. The city council in granting approval of the conditional use for the expansion or alteration may require that any or all of those portions of the existing park which do not meet the mini mum standards of this chapter, or any other applicable standards of this title, be made to comply with those standards. (Ord. 1002 (Attachment A) (part), 1989)
20.60.070 Mobile home parks-size.
A mobile home park shall not be less than five acres in size, nor be of such a scale and/or design to be a predominant view from surrounding properties. (Ord. 1175 § 4, 1996)