Chapter 17.95
MANUFACTURED HOME PARKS

Sections:

17.95.010    Purpose.

17.95.020    Development standards.

17.95.030    Park administration.

17.95.010 Purpose.

The purposes of this chapter are:

A. To provide criteria for review of proposals for manufactured home parks (MHPs) while establishing minimum design standards for MHPs to accomplish the below stated objectives;

B. To provide a suitable living environment within a park-like atmosphere for persons residing in manufactured homes (MHs), especially those that do not meet the criteria to be sited elsewhere in the city;

C. To encourage variety in housing styles within areas designated for other residential development;

D. To permit flexibility in the placement of MHs on a site in order to minimize costs associated with development of roads, utilities, walkways and parking facilities, while providing adequate common and private open space. (Ord. 778 § 2 (Exh. A), 2017).

17.95.020 Development standards.

A. Density. The number of MHs in a park shall not exceed the maximum allowable density of the underlying district or eight units per acre, whichever is less.

B. Site Area. The minimum site area of an MHP shall be three acres unless it is a component of a mixed use planned development of equal or larger size. The maximum site area of an MHP, or combination of adjacent parks, shall be 15 acres. MHPs 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.

C. Lot Coverage. All buildings, including accessory buildings and structures, but not including any open space areas used to provide parking spaces or private outdoor recreational uses, shall not cover more than 50 percent of the area of an individual manufactured home lot.

D. Yard Requirements. All MHs, together with their additions and appurtenant structures, accessory structures and other structures on the site (excluding fences), shall observe the following setbacks (excluding any hitch or towing fixture) which supersede the standards of the underlying zoning district:

1. All MHs shall be located at least 20 feet from the property boundary line abutting upon a public street or highway, and at least 15 feet from other boundary lines of the development.

2. There shall be a minimum distance of 10 feet between any MHs and abutting streets within the boundaries of the park.

E. Height. No building or structure and no accessory building or structure shall exceed a height of 25 feet.

F. Accessory Structures. Buildings or structures accessory to individual manufactured homes are permitted; provided, that the total developed coverage of the space shall not exceed the maximum lot coverage requirements.

Buildings or structures accessory to the MHP as a whole, and intended for the use of park occupants, are permitted; provided, the building area does not exceed 50 percent of the common open space.

G. Structure Separations. A minimum 15-foot separation shall be maintained between all MHs, together with any projections or additions, including, but not limited to, carports, porches, and decks, and other MHs or structures; except, accessory structures may be located within six feet of the MH to which they are accessory.

H. Access and Circulation. All MHPs shall be provided with safe and convenient vehicular access from abutting public streets or roads to each MH lot. Such access shall be provided by streets, driveways or other means. No major arterial or minor arterial streets shall be within an MHP. The layout and general development plan for major and minor access streets and driveways within the MHP, together with the location and dimensions of access junctions with existing public streets and rights-of-way, shall be approved by the planning commission after considering a recommendation by the public works director.

1. Finished Street Surface Widths.

a. One-way road, no parking: 12 feet.

b. One-way road, parking on one side: 18 feet.

c. Two-way road, no parking: 22 feet.

d. Two-way road, parking on one side: 28 feet.

e. Two-way road, parking on both sides: 36 feet.

f. Cul-de-sac turnarounds shall have a minimum diameter of 100 feet.

2. Public/Private Streets. If the transportation/circulation element of the city’s comprehensive plan indicates that a public street is necessary or if a street is proposed that is intended to allow through traffic, a dedicated public street that is constructed to the city’s standards may be required.

3. Roadway Surfaces. All access roadway and drive surfaces shall be finished to a Category III roadway standard as set forth in the Okanogan County Road and Street Standards and Guidelines for Developments, as it now exists or hereinafter amended, unless otherwise specified herein. Roadways shall be maintained in a manner that will suppress dust, mud and deterioration.

I. Parking Requirements.

1. At least two off-street parking spaces, located adjacent to each respective manufactured home, shall be provided for each unit.

2. In addition to occupant parking, guest and service parking shall be provided within the boundaries of the park at a ratio of one parking space for each four manufactured home lots, and shall be distributed for convenient access to all lots. Improvement standards shall be as specified in subsection (H)(3) of this section (Roadway Surfaces). Clubhouse and community building parking facilities may account for up to 50 percent of this requirement.

3. The front and side yard setbacks for MH units shall not be calculated for purposes of meeting the minimum parking requirements. All off-street parking spaces shall have a minimum dimension of nine feet by 19 feet.

J. Utility Requirements. All MHPs shall provide permanent electrical, water and sewage disposal connections to each manufactured home in accordance with applicable state and local rules and regulations.

All sewage and wastewater from toilets, urinals, slop sinks, bathtubs, showers, lavatories, laundries and all other sanitary fixtures shall be drained into a public sewage collection system.

All water, sewer, electrical and communication service lines shall be underground and shall be approved by the city. Gas shut-off valves, meters and regulators shall not be located beneath MHs.

K. Open Space/Recreational Facilities. A minimum of 10 percent of the overall development shall be set aside and maintained as open space for the recreational use of park occupants. In MHPs of 10 to 15 acres, recreation facilities can be decentralized with at least one area large enough for team games (two-thirds of an acre). Such space and location shall be accessible and usable by all residents of the park for passive or active recreation. Recreation areas may include space for community buildings and community use facilities, such as indoor service buildings. Parking spaces, driveways, access streets and storage areas are not considered to be usable open space.

The area shall be exclusive of the required perimeter buffer, centrally located, and of such grade and surface to be suitable for active recreation.

L. Sidewalks/Walkways. The MHP shall contain pedestrian walkways to and from all service and recreational facilities. Such walkways shall be adequately surfaced and lit. A portion of the roadway surface may be reserved for walkways; provided, that the roadway width is widened accordingly. Walkways shall be a minimum of four feet in width.

M. Lighting. Outdoor lighting shall be provided to adequately illuminate internal streets and pedestrian walkways. Lights shall be sized and directed to avoid adverse impact on adjacent properties.

N. Storm Drainage. Storm water runoff shall be contained on site. Storm drainage control facilities shall meet the requirements of appropriate local and state regulations.

O. Landscaping/Screening. The MHP 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, and are of such species and size (minimum of six feet in height), as would normally fulfill a screening function. Site development shall be sensitive to the preservation of existing vegetation.

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

The following minimum requirements for landscaping and screening shall apply:

1. All MHPs shall be screened by fences and/or natural growth along all property boundary lines. For vegetative buffers, a minimum 10-foot-wide planting strip of evergreen trees and shrubs shall encompass the site. Fences shall provide solid screening and shall be six feet in height. Screening operations shall be commenced before 30 days prior to occupancy of the manufactured home park, and planting shall be completed no more than nine months after occupancy, unless a phased landscaping plan is approved.

2. Where abutting a major arterial, the planting strip shall be a minimum of 20 feet wide; provided, that a minimum 10-foot strip may be considered sufficient when it can be demonstrated that with earth sculpturing and recontouring, or a sight-obscuring fence, the development is buffered sufficiently.

3. Perimeters of common parking areas and bulk storage areas shall be landscaped to provide visual screening.

P. Signs. Signs and advertising devices shall have the same restrictions as those applied to the R-1 zoning district under this title or any other applicable provisions of the Tonasket Municipal Code, as they now exist or may hereafter be amended.

Q. Storage.

1. The owner of an MHP shall provide 100 square feet of indoor tenant storage facilities which are conveniently located near each MH lot for the storage of household items and equipment. There shall be no outside storage of such items and equipment.

2. Bulk storage and parking areas for boats, campers, travel trailers, recreational vehicles, trucks, snowmobiles, motorcycles or other seldom or seasonally used recreational equipment shall be provided within the MHP. A minimum of 300 square feet of space, exclusive of driveways, shall be provided for every 10 MHs. Bulk storage and parking areas shall be separated from other parking facilities and shall be provided with some means of security. The requirements of this subsection may be waived by the city when the MHP developer agrees to prohibit the storage of such items within the park. All bulk storage and parking areas shall be finished and maintained in a manner which will suppress dust, mud and surface deterioration. (Ord. 778 § 2 (Exh. A), 2017).

17.95.030 Park administration.

A. The owner(s) of an MHP shall be responsible for the development and maintenance of the park in strict conformity with the approved site plan and all applicable laws and ordinances.

B. An MHP shall have internal rules and regulations governing, at a minimum, the following:

1. A requirement that all tenants comply with city inspection codes at the time a manufactured home is installed or modified;

2. A requirement that all tenants comply with the city zoning code restrictions relating to the use of their manufactured home and lot;

3. A requirement that all landscaping, buffer areas, recreational areas and facilities, storage areas, streets, walkways and other common areas and facilities be continuously maintained to at least the minimum standards required by the city and approved by the building official at the time of initial occupancy.

C. An MHP shall have a resident manager who shall be the agent of the owner with authority to communicate directly with the city officials regarding compliance with city codes and requirements, and who shall be responsible for the enforcement of park rules and regulations. (Ord. 778 § 2 (Exh. A), 2017).