§ 604. Manufactured Home Park District (MHP).

The purpose and intent of the MHP Manufactured Home Park District is to provide appropriate locations for the establishment of manufactured home parks within which space may be leased or rented. An application for Manufactured Home Park District (MHP) zoning shall require a site plan as specified in Section 604.05.

604.01. Definitions.

Manufactured Home. A home transportable in one or more sections, which in the traveling mode is eight body feet or more in width or forty body feet or more in length, or when erected on site is three hundred twenty or more square feet and which is built on a permanent chassis, and designed to be used as a dwelling with or without permanent foundation, when connected to the required utilities, and includes plumbing, heating, air-conditioning and electrical systems. The home is built to the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act.

Manufactured Home Space. Land within a manufactured home park that has been designated for the placement of one single or multi-sectional manufactured home for the exclusive use of its occupants.

Manufactured Home Park. A parcel of land under single ownership which has been planned for the placement of three (3) or more manufactured homes for residential occupancy. The lots in the community may be leased to residents to place their manufactured homes and in some cases the home and the lot may be leased by the owner to the resident.

Manufactured Home Pad. The hard surface part of an individual manufactured home space that has been reserved for the placement of the manufactured home, accessory structures or additions.

HUD Seal Required. Prior to installation, each manufactured home shall bear a seal certifying compliance with the Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards Act published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Any existing mobile home or trailer not bearing such a seal shall be deemed a non-conforming structure and shall be treated as a nonconforming structure and use in accordance with the regulations established in Article VIII of this Ordinance.

604.02. Permitted Uses. Within a MHP Manufactured Home Park district no building, structure, land or premises shall be used, and no building or structure shall be hereafter erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved or altered, except for one or more of the following uses.

A.

Manufactured Home Park.

B.

Manufactured Home Park Office.

C.

Recreation Buildings and Playground.

D.

Service facilities for the exclusive use of manufactured home park residents including self-service laundry.

E.

Structures and uses required for the operation of a public utility or the operation or maintenance of the manufactured home park.

F.

One identification sign meeting the requirements of the Arab Sign Regulations containing thereon only the name and address of the manufactured home park. Said sign may be lighted by indirect light only.

G.

One accessory storage building per manufactured home space is permitted. Said storage building shall meet all of the requirements of Section 604.04 U of this Article.

H.

Traffic control signs.

604.03. General.

A.

In manufactured home parks, recreational vehicles shall not be occupied as living quarters and manufactured home sales lots shall not be permitted, but manufactured homes may be sold on manufactured home parks spaces they occupy while in residential use.

B.

Prior to the placement of a manufactured home in a manufactured home park, a permit shall be obtained from the Administrative Officer, subject to compliance with all provisions of this Ordinance.

C.

Manufactured home units that do not bear a seal as defined in Section 604.01 shall not be permitted within a manufactured home park within the City of Arab.

604.04. Site Standards. The following site standards shall apply for all manufactured home parks hereinafter established or altered.

A.

Land Area Requirements. The minimum area for any manufactured home park shall be five (5) acres.

B.

Site Dimensions and Setbacks. The following standards for each manufactured home space shall apply for all manufactured home parks hereinafter established or altered.

1.

Each manufactured home space, to be occupied by a single wide unit, shall have a minimum area of four thousand (4,000) square feet with a width of not less than forty (40) feet. Each manufactured home space, to be occupied by a double-wide or multi-section unit shall have a minimum area of five thousand (5,000) square feet with a width of not less than fifty (50) feet.

2.

There shall be a minimum twenty (20) foot separation between each manufactured home and any adjacent manufactured home or structure. Said separation shall be measured to include all additions or attachments.

3.

The minimum front, side, and rear yard setback for each manufactured home space within the manufactured home park shall be as follows:

Front: 15 feet

Rear: 15 feet

Sides: 10 feet

C.

Peripheral Buffer Area. A buffer area twenty-five (25) feet wide shall be located along all manufactured home park property lines not bordering a public street. The buffer area shall be installed in accord with the requirements of Article V of this Ordinance. No building or structure of any kind shall be erected or maintained in the required buffer area.

D.

Minimum Frontage. All manufactured home parks shall have access to and a minimum frontage of fifty (50) feet on a dedicated, public street. The yard setback for all parts of the manufactured home park that abuts a public street shall be thirty-five (35) feet.

E.

Internal Roadways. All interior manufactured home spaces shall abut upon an internal roadway having a paved surface not less than thirty (30) feet in width. The internal roadway shall be continuous or shall be provided with a cul-de-sac having a minimum radius of sixty (60) feet. No internal roadway ending in a cul-de-sac shall exceed four hundred (400) feet in length. Such roadways shall be hard surfaced and shall meet the design standards and construction specifications for residential streets required by the Arab Subdivision Regulations. A concrete lay-down curb or acceptable substitute shall be used as approved by the Administrative Officer. Internal roadways and parking areas shall be maintained free of cracks, holes and other hazards at the expense of the operator/manager of the manufactured home park. All roadways shall be numbered or named in a manner approved by Marshall County 911.

F.

Future Rights-of-Way. The applicant/developer of a manufactured home park should be aware that any future development or subdividing of the parcel on which the manufactured home park is located will require rights-of-way widths as provided for by the Arab Subdivision Regulations. Therefore, future access through the manufactured home park could require redevelopment that might eliminate spaces or otherwise decrease the functional use of the site.

G.

Height. The height of any manufactured home, building or structure shall not be greater than thirty-five (35) feet. The height of the manufactured home frame above the ground elevation, measured at 90° to the frame, shall not be greater than three (3) feet.

H.

Required Pad. Each manufactured home space shall contain a cement or asphalt stand upon which the manufactured home will be situated.

I.

Common Recreation Area. Not less than ten percent (10%) of the gross land area of the manufactured home park shall be devoted to common recreational areas and facilities. Said open space shall be grassed and/or landscaped or otherwise designed and made available for recreational use and shall be maintained in a usable and sanitary condition. Such areas shall be consolidated into usable, central areas with minimum dimensions of not less than thirty (30) feet in any direction.

J.

Deck or Patio Requirements. Each Manufactured home space shall be provided with a deck or paved patio of at least one hundred twenty (120) square feet. No horizontal dimension of the deck or paved patio shall be less than eight (8) feet. Patios shall be surfaced with concrete, asphalt or other approved hard surface. Required parking areas may not be considered to meet the requirements for a deck or patio.

K.

Off-Street Parking. There shall be two (2) paved, all weather off-street parking spaces for each manufactured home space; two (2) spaces for the park office; one (1) space for every two (2) washing machines in a self-service laundry facility. All off-street parking shall have direct access to an interior street within the manufactured home park and there shall be no driveway access to an exterior street. The required off-street parking space shall meet all design and construction specifications of the City of Arab.

L.

Water and Sanitary Sewer Requirements. The entire area of the manufactured home park shall be adequately served by water and sanitary sewer facilities. Each manufactured home shall be connected to the municipal water system and to the municipal sewage disposal system, if available. The design and specifications of the utility systems shall meet all city specifications and shall be approved by the City of Arab. If a municipal system is not available, then a private central system shall be required until such time as the municipal system(s) become available. The design and specifications of any private system shall meet Marshall County Health Department specifications and shall be installed under inspection of the appropriate City of Arab Department.

M.

Electrical Facilities. All electrical lines, equipment and installation leading to each manufactured home space shall be designed, constructed and maintained in compliance with the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70). When separate meters are installed, each meter shall be located on a standard post on the lot line of each manufactured home space. Wiring shall comply with applicable local and state electrical codes. All required permits shall be obtained prior to hook-up or installation of electrical services.

N.

Lighting. Adequate lighting shall be provided and shown on the site plan for approval by the Arab Planning Commission. All electric and telephone lines must be placed underground when possible.

O.

Drainage. The ground surface in all parts of a manufactured home park shall be graded and equipped to drain all surface water in a safe, efficient manner. The adequacy of drainage facilities shall be verified by a licensed professional engineer.

P.

Soil and Ground Cover. Exposed ground surfaces in all parts of every manufactured home park shall be protected with a vegetative growth that is capable of preventing soil erosion and eliminating dust.

Q.

Skirting. The installation of skirting shall be required for all manufactured homes in the manufactured home park. Installation shall be in accordance with the manufacturer's installation instructions. Acceptable materials may include masonry, stone, metal, vinyl, or other materials manufactured for the purpose of skirting.

R.

Storage Underneath Manufactured Home. There shall be no storage of any kind underneath any manufactured home.

S.

Tie-Downs. Each manufactured home shall have tie-downs, anchoring or other devices securing the stability of the manufactured home. The installation of tie-downs or anchoring shall be in conformance with standards set out by the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission.

T.

Fencing. Fences, if provided, on individual manufactured home sites shall be uniform in height and shall not exceed thirty (30) inches in height and shall be constructed in such a manner as to provide firefighting personnel access to all sides of each manufactured home.

U.

Design and Location of Storage Facilities. One (1) storage building with a maximum capacity of one hundred fifty (150) square feet and a maximum height of fifteen (15) feet per manufactured home may be provided on the rear of the manufactured home space within two (2) feet of the space line. Storage buildings shall be designed in a manner that will enhance the appearance of the park and shall be faced with masonry porcelain steel, baked enameled steel or other material equal in fire resistance, durability and appearance, or of an equal material approved by the Administrative Officer. A storage building shall only be used by the occupants of the manufactured home.

604.05. Manufactured Home Park Site Plan Approval. An application for MHP Manufactured Home Park zoning shall be accompanied by a Site Plan, which, if approved, shall become a requirement of the zoning district. No building permit shall be issued for construction of any part of the manufactured home park unless the proposed development is in accord with the approved Site Plan.

A.

The site plan shall be drawn to a suitable scale not smaller than one-inch equals one hundred (100) feet and shall show the following information:

(1)

Scale, north arrow, location, total site acreage and acres to be developed, proposed title of the park, vicinity map showing the location of the project in relation to the surrounding community, and legal description of the proposed Manufactured Home Park.

(2)

The name of the owner and the designer (architect, engineer, or landscape architect) of the proposed manufactured park development.

(3)

Existing zoning of the project site and the zoning of adjacent land.

(4)

The boundaries of the property involved including the location of all existing easements, section lines, and property lines, existing streets, buildings, approximate location of all utilities on or near the project site and other physical features in or adjoining the project site.

(5)

Names and addresses of all adjacent landowners.

(6)

The proposed use of all building or structures and the proposed number, location, and dimensions of all manufactured home spaces along with a typical layout of a manufactured home space showing landscaping, location and type of stand, patio, walkways, parking area, curb and gutter location, storage building, if any, and other improvements.

(7)

The location and dimensions of proposed points of entry and exit for vehicles, roadways, parking facilities and walkways, location and width of proposed right-of-ways and easements, the location of buffer areas and landscaping, location and dimensions of recreational areas.

(8)

The location of all utilities and a description of their availability and capability to serve the proposed development.

(9)

All other significant information required by this Ordinance, and any other information which would assist in the Planning Commission's review of the request for MHP zoning.

604.06. Non-Conforming Manufactured Homes on Individual "Fee Simple" Lots. It is not the intent of this Ordinance to deprive a property owner of their homestead and thereby their right to restore or replace a non-conforming manufactured home, on a fee simple lot, should their home be destroyed by fire or natural disaster. In the event that a nonconforming manufactured home is destroyed by fire or natural disaster in excess of fifty [percent] (50%) of the appraised value as set out in Article VIII, restoration or replacement may be permitted provided that:

A.

The manufactured home was, and will continue to be, occupied by the owner of said property;

B.

The restoration or replacement does not result in a structure which appraises at a lesser value than that of the original structure.

C.

The restoration or replacement shall be approved by the City Council prior to any zoning certificates being issued.

D.

The restoration or replacement shall take place within twelve (12) months of being damaged.

E.

Noncompliance with Health Department or other governmental agency regulations shall prohibit the nonconforming use of the site, and

F.

Expansion of the site for additional nonconforming uses shall not be permitted.