Exciting enhancements are coming soon to eCode360! Learn more 🡪
Township of New Britain, PA
Bucks County
By using eCode360 you agree to be legally bound by the Terms of Use. If you do not agree to the Terms of Use, please do not use eCode360.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[Ord. 2002-05-02, 5/20/2002, § 800]
In addition to the statement of purposes set forth in Part 1 of this chapter, it is hereby declared to be the specific intent of this chapter to establish standards of performance and promote the desirable benefits which planned mobile home parks may have upon the community and the residents within them. It is further the intent of this chapter to ensure the interdependency and compatibility of proposed mobile home parks with surrounding land uses in the Township and connection to essential utilities.
[Ord. 2002-05-02, 5/20/2002, § 801]
1. 
Individual Mobile Homes. Individual mobile homes may be erected on any lot where the use is permitted by the regulations of the Township Zoning Ordinance [Chapter 27], in compliance with all sections of this chapter which apply to subdivisions and development of single-family detached dwellings and applicable local or state building codes.
2. 
Mobile Home Parks or Developments. Any construction or alteration of a mobile home park or development shall comply with the provisions of this chapter. These provisions are in addition to other applicable regulations of this chapter and the Township Zoning Ordinance [Chapter 27].
[Ord. 2002-05-02, 5/20/2002, § 802]
1. 
The following regulations shall apply to mobile home parks or developments:
A. 
Arrangement of Structure and Facilities. The tract, including mobile home stands, patios, other dwellings and structures and all tract improvements, shall be organized in relation to topography, the shape of the plot and common facilities. Special attention shall be given to new mobile home designs and to common appurtenances that are available.
B. 
Adaptation to Tract Assets. Each mobile home unit or other dwelling or structure shall be fitted to the terrain with a minimum disturbance of the land and a minimum elevation difference between the floor level of the unit and the ground elevation under it. Existing trees and shrubs, rock formations, streams, floodplains, steep slopes, and other natural features of the tract shall be preserved to the maximum extent practical. Favorable views shall be emphasized by the plan.
C. 
Courts and Spaces. Groups or clusters of units, so placed as to create interior spaces and courtyards shall be incorporated whenever feasible.
D. 
Orientation. Applicants are encouraged to arrange mobile homes in a variety of orientations and are also encouraged to have many units with their long sides facing the street rather than their ends, in order to provide variety and interest. Site layout shall be designed to ensure that mobile home units are offset to block long uninterrupted vistas between the units.
E. 
Streets.
(1) 
Street patterns shall be related to the topography of the site and designed to minimize site disturbance and preserve natural features on the site.
(2) 
The internal street system shall be designed as a hierarchy, with feeder or collector streets connecting to exterior roadways and providing external access, and local residential streets (including cul-de-sac streets) providing frontage and access to individual mobile home lots, open space and other common facilities.
(3) 
Access Limitations. Mobile home lots may have direct access only onto streets internal to the development. Direct access from a mobile home lot shall not be permitted onto the streets from which the mobile home, park or development gains primary access.
(4) 
Streets shall comply with this chapter with respect to right-of-way and cartway widths, parking, curbs, intersections, sidewalks, vertical alignments and grades, etc.
F. 
Pedestrian Circulation. Pedestrian circulation systems shall be provided, including sidewalks along streets, crosswalks, pedestrian walkways through open space and common areas and on-lot walkways connecting mobile home units with streets and sidewalks. All pedestrian facilities shall comply with this chapter and the Township Zoning Ordinance [Chapter 27].
G. 
Parking. Off-street parking shall be provided for all uses in compliance with the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance [Chapter 27]. Common parking areas shall comply with this chapter.
[Ord. 2002-05-02, 5/20/2002, § 803]
1. 
The amount of common open space shall comply with the requirements of the Township Zoning Ordinance [Chapter 27] for the use proposed.
2. 
In addition to the above requirements of the Township Zoning Ordinance [Chapter 27], all mobile home parks shall comply with the Park and Recreation Land requirements of this chapter.
3. 
The design, ownership and maintenance of common open space and other facilities shall comply with the open space requirements of the Township Zoning Ordinance [Chapter 27].
[Ord. 2002-05-02, 5/20/2002, § 804]
1. 
All mobile home parks shall comply with the buffer yard requirements of the Township Zoning Ordinance [Chapter 27].
2. 
All mobile home parks shall comply with the landscape planting requirements of this chapter, with respect to preservation of existing vegetation, street trees, site element screening, parking area landscaping, etc.
[Ord. 2002-05-02, 5/20/2002, § 805]
1. 
All utilities in mobile home parks shall comply with the requirements of this chapter.
2. 
Water Supply.
A. 
General Requirements. A water supply from a public source, as approved by the Township, for domestic, auxiliary and fire fighting uses shall be provided for all uses included in the mobile home development, including service buildings and accessory facilities, in compliance with the state requirements, Township Zoning Ordinance [Chapter 27], and this chapter.
B. 
Water Distribution System. All water piping, fixtures and other equipment shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with state standards and local regulations as well as those of the servicing utility.
C. 
Individual Water-Riser Pipes and Connection.
(1) 
Individual water riser pipes shall be located within the confined areas of the mobile home stand at a point where the water connection will approximate a vertical position, thereby insuring the shortest water connection possible and decreasing susceptibility to freezing.
(2) 
The water riser pipe shall terminate at least four inches above the ground surface and shall be provided with a cap when a mobile home does not occupy the lot.
(3) 
Adequate provisions shall be made to prevent freezing of service lines, valves and riser pipes and to protect risers from heaving and thawing actions of ground during freezing weather. Surface drainage shall be diverted away from the location of the riser pipe.
D. 
Fire Protection. All mobile home developments shall be provided with fire hydrants, fire lanes, emergency accesses and water supply meeting the fire protection requirements of this chapter.
3. 
Sewage Disposal.
A. 
General Requirements. A public sanitary sewer system shall be provided in all mobile home developments for conveying and disposing of sewage from dwellings, service buildings and accessory facilities in compliance with the requirements of the state, Township Zoning Ordinance [Chapter 27], this chapter and the servicing utility.
B. 
Individual Sewer Connections.
(1) 
Each mobile home pad shall be provided with a sewer riser pipe consistent with the standards of the servicing utility. The sewer riser pipe shall be so located on each pad that the sewer connection to the mobile home drain outlet will approximate a vertical position.
(2) 
At the time of construction, provision shall be made for the temporary capping of 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 1/2 inch above ground elevation.
4. 
Underground Utilities. Except for electric and natural gas transmission lines, all electric, natural gas, telephone and any other utility lines shall be placed underground in all mobile home developments and each shall have the necessary shut-off valves and other safety requirements normally associated with safe operations. All utility connections shall be appropriately capped for safety purposes whenever a mobile home stand is not occupied.
[Ord. 2002-05-02, 5/20/2002, § 806]
1. 
Permits Required.
A. 
Lots for Sale. In those mobile home developments wherein some or all of the mobile home lots will be sold individually (whether completely fee simple, fee simple with a homeowners association, condominium, or cooperative), no lot to be conveyed shall be developed or mobile home or other structure placed or constructed thereon until the subdivision and/or land development plan has properly approved and the proper building and construction permits have been issued to the lot in accordance with standard procedures for any building activity in the Township. No mobile home or other structure shall be occupied until a valid occupancy permit has been issued by the Township.
B. 
Lots for Lease. In those mobile home developments wherein some or all of the mobile home lots will be leased, the following regulations shall apply to the entire development exclusive of the lots being sold individually:
(1) 
Initial Permits. Prior to constructing, altering, extending, or operating a mobile home development, the applicant shall comply with the following requirements:
(a) 
The applicant shall obtain a building permit authorizing foundation and site construction. The applicant shall also obtain all permits for water supply and sewage systems prior to the issuance of building permits.
(b) 
The applicant shall comply with all other requirements contained in this chapter and in the Township Zoning Ordinance [Chapter 27].
2. 
Fees. All fees for mobile homes are found in the current fee schedule under the appropriate zoning, building or mechanical schedule.
3. 
Inspection.
A. 
Upon notification to the licensee, manager or person in charge of a mobile home park or development with lots for lease, the Building Inspector or Zoning Officer may inspect a mobile home development after due notice to determine compliance with this chapter.
B. 
Upon receipt of the application for annual license and before issuing such annual license, the Zoning Officer or other designated representative of the Township may make an inspection of the mobile home park or development to determine compliance with this chapter and other applicable ordinances. The Zoning Officer or other Township representative shall thereafter notify the licensee of any instances of noncompliance and shall not issue the annual license until the licensee has corrected all such violations.
4. 
Mobile Home Inspections. The applicant shall inform the Township of the delivery date of a mobile home. The Township Code Enforcement Officer or Building Inspector shall inspect the mobile home upon its arrival at the site prior to installation, to determine if it meets the standards of Part 5, Standards for the Installation of Mobile Homes (ANSI/NFPA) publication #501A 1977. The Township Code Enforcement Officer or Building Inspector shall also inspect the mobile home after its installation and prior to occupancy by residents, in order to determine its compliance with installation instruction outlined in the Building System Approval Report, which shall be provided by the applicant.
[Ord. 2002-05-02, 5/20/2002, § 807]
1. 
Mobile Home Stands. All mobile home stands shall comply with the requirements of the Township Zoning Ordinance [Chapter 27].
2. 
Anchoring and Stability. Each mobile home shall be affixed and anchored to its mobile home stand in such a way so as to prevent tilting of the unit. This anchoring shall occur prior to the unit being occupied or used in any other way, or the expiration of seven days, whichever occurs first. No mobile home shall permanently rest on the wheels used to transport the unit. The anchoring system shall be designed to comply with the most stringent standards of the following: the Township Building Code, the manufacturer's standards, or the Township Zoning Ordinance [Chapter 27].
3. 
Skirts. All mobile homes placed within a mobile home development shall, prior to occupancy or other use, have skirts installed for protection of the utility connections. Skirts shall be made of brick, block, stone, wood or some other permanent material as approved by the Township.
4. 
Hitch. The hitch or tow bar attached to a mobile home for transport purposes shall be removed and remain removed from the mobile home when it is placed on its mobile home stand.