Township of Carroll, PA Mobile Home Park Regulations

Parks in existence upon the effective date of this chapter will be required to meet standards of DEP and the maintenance and operating standards of this chapter as a prerequisite to issuance of a permit or a renewal permit. The park, shall within 120 days after the effective date of this chapter make application for permit hereunder and shall comply with provisions of this chapter applicable to parks in existence prior to enactment.

Park operation and maintenance and expansion of existing parks shall comply with this chapter.[2]

[2]

Editor's Note: Original Subsection G, Revocation permit, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 10-16-2001 by Ord. No. 44.

§ 120-51 Transfer.

[Amended 10-16-2001 by Ord. No. 44]

Every person holding a permit shall file notice in writing to the Permit Officer within 10 days after having sold, transferred, given away, or otherwise disposed of interest in or control of any park.

§ 120-52 Lot requirements.

General. All lots shall conform to the following:

The minimum lot size, lot width, and building setback lines shall be as required by Chapter 138, Zoning, excepting only that an accessory structure of 100 feet or less may be place within five feet of any side or rear lot line, provided that said accessory structure may not be placed within any required front yard setback. The required lot area shall exclude any right-of-way or easements on the lot. Side lot lines shall be substantially at right angles or radial to street right-of-way lines whenever possible.

[Amended 5-3-2016 by Ord. No. 74]

Double frontage. Double frontage lots shall be avoided, except that, where desired along arterial streets or limited access highways, reverse frontage lots may face on an interior street, and back on such thoroughfares. Interior lots having frontage on two streets shall be avoided except where unusual conditions make it necessary. Any use of double frontage lots must be justified and alternatives explored prior to review by the Planning Commission and Supervisors.

Access.

Each mobile home park plan shall be designed to provide for access to each lot by a private or public street and the park from a public street.

Streets shall be laid out to provide for access to all lots and to adjacent undeveloped areas, and the developer shall reserve access streets to the limits of the park.

Lot numbers. All mobile home lots shall be given street numbers and all park streets shall be given names.

§ 120-53 Additional yard and setback requirements.

All mobile homes shall be located at least 35 feet from any public street right-of-way which abuts a mobile home park boundary and at least 25 feet from any other boundary of the park.

There shall be a minimum distance of 25 feet between an individual mobile home and adjoining pavement of a park street or common parking area or other common areas.

All mobile homes and patios on a mobile home lot shall not be located closer than 10 feet to an interior lot line.

§ 120-54 Park street system.

Park street system. Each mobile home park shall be provided with at least two points of ingress and egress and a distance of at least 150 feet shall be maintained between center lines of access streets.

Lot access. All mobile home parks shall be provided with safe and convenient paved access streets to and from each and every mobile home lot. Alignment and gradient shall comply with § 120-21 of this chapter.

Streets. All streets within any mobile home park shall have a minimum right-of-way width of 50 feet, a minimum pavement width of 20 feet and five-foot grassed shoulders each side, except that one-way streets shall have a minimum pavement width of 12 feet with five-foot grassed shoulders each side. In all other respects, the streets shall be designed and paved in accordance with § 120-39 of this chapter and all other Township specification. All streets shall be kept in good repair with a annual maintenance program.

§ 120-55 Required off-street parking.

Off-street parking areas shall be provided in all mobile home parks for the use of park occupants and guests. Such areas shall be furnished at the rate of at least two vehicular parking spaces for each mobile home lot. Each space shall be a minimum of 20 feet by 10 feet and at least 200 square feet.

§ 120-56 Utility improvements.

The park owner shall be responsible for all utilities to be installed and to be maintained in accordance with this chapter and any and all applicable code requirements.

Sewage disposal system.

An adequate and safe sewerage system shall be provided in all parks for conveying and disposing of sewage from mobile homes, service buildings and other accessory facilities. Such systems shall be designed, constructed and maintained in accordance with the health regulations of DEP and the Carroll Township Supervisor/Authority.

Individual sewer connections.

Each mobile home stand shall be provided with at least a four-inch-diameter sewer riser pipe. The sewer riser pipe shall be so located on each stand that the sewer connection to the mobile home drain outlet will approximate a vertical position.

The sewer service connection (from the mobile home to the collector line) shall have a nominal inside diameter of not less than three inches, and the slope of any portion thereof shall be watertight.

All materials used for sewer connection shall be semirigid, corrosive resistant, nonabsorbent and durable. The inner surface shall be smooth.

Provision shall be made for plugging the sewer riser pipe when a mobile home does not occupy the lot. Surface drainage shall be diverted away from the riser. The rim of the riser pipe shall extend at least six inches above ground elevation.

Sewer lines. Sewer and water lines shall be laid in separate trenches with a horizontal distance of at least 10 feet from each other, except that these lines may be laid in the same trench by placing the water pipe on a shelf of undisturbed earth above and to one side of the caulked tight sewer line. All sewer lines shall be constructed of materials approved by DEP and the Carroll Township Supervisors/Authority and shall have watertight joints.

Sewer treatment and/or discharge. Where the sewer lines of the mobile home park are not connected to public sewer, all proposed sewage disposal facilities shall be approved by DEP.

Water supply distribution.

Source of supply.

The water supply shall be capable of supplying a minimum of 150 gallons per day per mobile home.

The well or suction line of the water supply system shall be located and constructed in such a manner that neither underground nor surface contamination will reach the water supply from any source.

No well casings, pumps, pumping machinery or suction pipes shall be placed in any pit, room or space extending below ground level not in any room or space above ground which is walled in or otherwise enclosed, unless such rooms whether above or below ground have free drainage by gravity to the surface of the grounds.

Water supply treatment, if necessary, shall be in accordance with the requirements of DEP.

Water distribution system.

All water piping, fixtures and other equipment shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with DEP and Carroll Township regulations.

The water piping system shall not be connected with nonpotable or questionable water supplies and shall be protected against the hazards of backflow or backsiphonage.

The system shall be so designed and maintained as to provide a pressure of not less than 20 pounds per square inch, under normal operating conditions, at service building and other locations requiring potable water supply.

Where a public supply of water is provided, fire hydrants shall be installed as agreed upon by the owner and the Carroll Township Board of Supervisors.

Individual water-riser pipes and connections.

Individual water-riser pipes shall be located within the confined area of the mobile home and stand at a point where the water connection will approximately be in a vertical position, thereby insuring the shortest water connection possible and decreasing susceptibility to water pipe freezing.

The water-riser pipe shall have a minimum inside diameter of 3/4 inches and terminate at least four inches above the ground surface. The water outlet shall be provided with a cap when a mobile home does not occupy the lot and shall be of freeze proof type.

Adequate provisions shall be made to prevent freezing of the service lines, valves and riser pipe and to protect risers from heaving and shoving actions of ground during freezing weather. Surface drainage shall be diverted from the location of the riser pipe.

A shutoff valve below the frost line shall be provided near the water riser pipe on each mobile home lot. Underground stop and waste valves are prohibited unless their types of manufacture and their method of installation are approved by the Carroll Township Board of Supervisors.

Fire protection.

Where fire hydrants are not provided, fire extinguisher of any type approved by the Fire Underwriter Laboratories (A-B-C) classification type bearing the Underwriter's label, shall be readily accessible to each mobile home, and each mobile home shall be equipped with a fire extinguisher. Portable fire extinguisher of a type approved by the fire prevention authorities shall be maintained in all public service buildings under park control.

Burning of refuse shall not be permitted.

Each mobile home, in a mobile home park, shall be provided with a battery operated smoke detector that is located in the mobile home pursuant to locational and operational requirements as provided by the manufacturer.

[Added 10-16-2001 by Ord. No. 44]

Electrical distribution system. Every park shall contain an electrical wiring system consisting of wiring, fixtures, equipment and appurtenances which shall be installed and maintained in accordance with local electric power company's specifications regulating such systems.

Power distribution lines.

Power lines shall be located underground.

All direct burial conductors or cable shall be buried at least 18 inches below the ground surface and shall be insulated and specially designed for the purpose. Such conductors shall be located not less than one foot radial distance from water, sewer, gas or communications lines.

Required grounding. All exposed non-current-carrying metal parts of mobile homes and all other equipment shall be grounded by means of an approved grounding conductor run with branch circuit conductors or other approved method of grounded metallic wiring. The neutral conductor shall not be used as an equipment ground for mobile homes or other equipment.

Required meter. Only one mobile home shall be connected to each electrical meter.

Natural gas systems. Any natural gas system shall be installed and maintained in accordance with the regulations and specifications of the company supplying the natural gas.

Liquefied petroleum gas system. Liquefied petroleum gas systems provided for mobile homes service:

Systems shall be provided with safety devices to relieve excessive pressures and shall be arranged so that the discharge terminates at a safe location.

Systems shall have at least one accessible means for shutting off gas. Such means shall be located outside the mobile home and shall be maintained in effective operating condition.

All LPG piping outside of the mobile homes shall be supported and protected against mechanical injury. Undiluted liquefied petroleum gas in liquid form shall not be conveyed through piping equipment and systems in mobile homes.

Any vessel containing liquefied petroleum gas shall be securely but not permanently fastened to prevent accidental overturning.

(5)

No LPG vessel shall be stored or located inside or beneath any storage cabinet, carport, mobile home or any other structure unless such installations are specifically approved by the Carroll Township Board of Supervisors.

Fuel oil supply systems. All fuel oil supply systems provided for mobile homes, service buildings and other structures shall be installed and maintained in conformity with the following regulations:

All piping from outside fuel storage tanks or cylinders to mobile homes shall be securely but not permanently, fastened in place.

All fuel oil supply systems provided for mobile home, service buildings and other structures shall have shutoff valves located within five inches of storage tanks.

All fuel storage tanks or cylinders shall be securely placed and shall be more than 10 feet from any mobile home exit.

Storage tanks located in areas subject to traffic shall be protected against physical damage.

§ 120-57 Open space requirements.

All mobile home parks shall provide, and so indicate on the plan of the mobile home park, suitable areas for recreation and open space uses by using the standard of 10% of the total area of the mobile home park of which 1/2 of the area shall be in one place. The remainder may be used to provide pedestrian connecting links to the recreation areas.

The recreation and open space shall be located as centrally as possible within the mobile home park in order to be easily accessible to the residents of the park.

The open space shall be landscaped with a water absorbent surface except for recreational facilities and walkways utilizing hard surface.

The open space must be maintained by the mobile home park operator.

§ 120-58 Buffer strips.

In a mobile home park, a suitable screened or landscaped buffer strip at least 50 feet in width approved by the Carroll Township Board of Supervisors shall be provided by the owner along all park property lines in order to produce an effective visual barrier between the park and adjacent land uses.

The landscape screening shall be composed of evergreen plants and trees arranged to form both a low level and a high level screen. The high level screen shall consist of evergreen trees planted at an initial height of not less than four feet, with specimens no younger than three years in age, and planted at intervals of not more than 10 feet. The low level screen shall consist of two rows of evergreen shrubs or hedges planted at an interval height of not less than two feet and spaced at intervals of not more than five feet. The low level screen plantings shall be placed in an alternating or staggered pattern to produce a more effective visual barrier.

An alternative visual barrier shall be six-foot-high opaque fence or wall with plantings of trees, shrubs, and/or vines along the surfaces of the barrier facing any residential or commercial district or public right-of-way.

An alternative visual barrier shall be a suitably landscaped earth mound a minimum of six feet high and 30 feet wide.

Consideration may be given to existing trees and shrubs in meeting the requirements of this section of the chapter.

§ 120-59 Walkways.

General requirements. All parks with 50 or more mobile home sites shall be provided with safe, convenient, all season pedestrian walks of adequate width for the intended use, durable and convenient to maintain, between individual mobile home lots and the park streets, and all community facilities provided for park residents. Sudden change in alignment and gradient shall be avoided.

Common walk system. A common walk system shall be provided and maintained between locations where pedestrian traffic is concentrated. Such common walks shall have a width of four feet.

Individual walks. All mobile home lots shall be connected to common walks, paved streets, paved driveways or parking spaces connecting to a paved street. Such individual walks shall have a minimum width of three feet.

§ 120-60 Other site improvements.

An enclosure of compatible design and material shall be erected around the entire base of each mobile home. Such enclosure shall provide sufficient ventilation to inhibit decay and deterioration of the structure.

Tie downs to prevent the movement of the mobile home by natural causes shall be provided for each mobile home.

Each mobile home lot shall be provided with a four-inch concrete slab on a stable surface at least 10 feet by 18 feet in size for use as a terrace and so located so as to be adjoining and parallel to the mobile home and not extend into the front, side, or rear yard.

Individual tenants at the mobile home park may construct attached enclosures or covered patios to individual mobile homes, provided that such enclosure does not encroach into the front, side or rear yard areas. A yard area is that area between a lot line or right-of-way line and the adjacent setback line.

Provision shall be made by the park owner to have garbage and waste collected at least once every week. Any refuse disposal site proposed within the mobile home park shall be subject to the approval by DEP and the Carroll Township Board of Supervisors.

One public telephone shall be provided for each mobile home park.

Dry chemical fire extinguishers, not less than five pounds in capacity, shall also be provided and shall be located so that no mobile home is more than 150 feet from said fire extinguisher.

§ 120-61 Park areas for nonresidential uses.

No part of any mobile home park shall be used for a nonresidential purpose, except such uses that are required for the direct servicing and well-being of park residents and for the management and maintenance of the park.

Nothing contained in this section shall be deemed as prohibiting the sale of a mobile home located on an individual lot and connected to the pertinent utilities.

§ 120-62 Service building and other community service facilities in mobile home parks.

Structural requirements for building.

All portions of the structure shall be properly protected from damage by ordinary uses, decay, corrosion, termites and other destructive elements. Exterior portions shall be of such materials and be so constructed and protected as to prevent entrance or penetration of moisture and weather.

All structures containing laundry and/or toilet facilities shall:

Have sound-resistant walls extending to the ceiling between male and female sanitary facilities. Walls and partitions in lavatories and other plumbing fixtures shall be constructed of dense, nonabsorbent, waterproof material or covered with moisture resistant material.

Have at least one window or skylight facing directly to the outdoors. The minimum aggregate gross area of windows for each required room shall be not less than 5% of the floor area served by them.

Have at least one window which can be easily opened or a mechanical device which will adequately ventilate the room.