Chapter 4 · Buildings and Construction

Article 16. Mobile Homes

Sections 4-1601 to 4-1631 · 31 sections

4-1601 Definitions.

As used in this article the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(a)Mobile Home. A vehicular, portable structure built on a chassis and designed to be used without a permanent foundation as a dwelling for single household occupancy when connected to utilities.

(b)Travel Trailer. A vehicle equipped with wheels and normally towed over the road behind an automobile or light truck. Also includes self-powered and self-contained mobile units.

(c)Trailer, Camping. A trailer equipped with an enclosure for sleeping while on vacation or other trips of short duration. Camping trailers also may contain cooking, bath and sanitary equipment. Size and furnishing of camping trailers may vary widely, but in no case shall they be considered structures for residential use of a temporary or permanent nature, for purposes of this article.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1602 Mobile homes; where permitted.

(a)Mobile homes shall only be permitted in approved mobile home parks except as provided in subsection (b).

(b)A mobile home may be permitted by the council, after public hearing, for the purpose of providing temporary housing following a local disaster such as fire, wind or flood damage. A mobile home located under this subsection shall be removed from the premises within six months of its original placement.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1603 Same; restriction.

A mobile home shall not be temporarily or permanently parked or located on any public street or alley; nor upon any lot containing a residential or business structure except when in complete conformity with the zoning and other ordinances of the city.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1604 Trailers; where permitted.

(a)Travel trailers or camping trailers may be parked in a mobile home or camper park. However, no camping trailer shall be used for permanent or semi-permanent residential purposes. Nothing in this article shall prohibit the use of pickup campers and other such equipment from also utilizing an approved camper park.

(b)Camping trailers may be stored in private garage or on the side or rear yards of private homes, business or industrial areas, but no trailer so stored shall be used for residential purposes.

(c)Hauling trailers may be stored or rented on property zoned industrial. Hauling trailers, customarily towed behind passenger cars, and not exceeding 10 feet of box length, also may be kept or stored in private garages or on the side or rear yard of private homes.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1605 Nonresidential structures.

Mobile homes may be used as a temporary office or other nonresidential structure on the site of a construction project so long as the structure is removed upon completion of the project. Mobile structures also may be used as temporary classroom facilities in connection with public schools, or private schools with equivalent curriculum.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1606 Mobile home parks; license required; penalty

It shall be unlawful to operate a mobile home park without a valid license and conditional use permit. No mobile home park shall be constructed, operated or maintained within the city until the owner and/or developer shall first have received a license and conditional use permit from the city. Such license and conditional use permit shall expire on December 31st of the year of issuance but may be renewed for additional periods of one calendar year each. The location of a mobile home park shall not be limited to any particular district established under the zoning code. Should any person, corporation, partnership or association, as owner and/or developer, operate a mobile home park without a valid license and conditional use permit, the public officer may file a complaint in the municipal court of the city against such person, corporation, partnership or association for such violation and upon conviction thereof be fined in an amount not to exceed $100.00 or be imprisoned not to exceed 30 days or be both fined and imprisoned. Each day during or on which such violation occurs or continues shall constitute an additional or separate offense.

(Ord. 99-656; Ord. 04-718; Ord. 08-770; Code 2022)

4-1607 Same; application; fee.

The initial or original application for a license and conditional use permit required under 4-1606, shall be filed with the city clerk, and shall be accompanied by a fee of $5 for each unit space in the proposed trailer coach park, camp, or mobile home park. All applications for renewal of an existing license and conditional use permit required under 4-1606, shall be filed with the city clerk at least 10 days prior to the expiration thereof and accompanied by a fee of $5 for each unit space in the trailer coach park, camp, or mobile home park. All applications for renewal of an existing license and conditional use permit not filed with the city clerk at least 10 days prior to the expiration thereof, shall be treated as an initial original application and shall be accompanied by a fee of $5 for each unit space in the trailer coach park, camp or mobile home park.

All applications shall be in writing, signed by the applicant and shall contain:

(a)The name and address of the applicant.

(b)The location and legal description of the tract.

(c)Not less than two copies of plans drawn to scale with sufficient clarity and detail dimensions to show the nature and character of work to be performed.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1608 Plans.

The plans required in section 4-1607 shall show the following, either existing or as proposed:

(a)Area and dimensions of the tract.

(b)Number, location and size of all mobile home spaces.

(c)Location and width of roadways, walkways and parking areas.

(d)Location and sizes of water and sewer lines and vents.

(e)Location for electrical hookups.

(f)Location, plans and specifications of all service buildings and other structures.

(g)Method and plan of garbage disposal.

(h)Location and size of any park or playground area.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1609 Planning commission review.

Before any license and conditional use permit required by section 4-1606 may be issued or before variations in existing trailer coach parks or camps may be made, the city council may require a recommendation from the city planning commission and the premises must be inspected by the mayor or his or her duly authorized representative as complying with all the provisions of this article and all other applicable regulations of the city.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1610 Rights and authority conveyed.

Licenses and conditional use permits issued under the terms of this article convey no right or authority to erect any building, to install any plumbing appliances or to install any electrical work or appliances. Such licenses shall not be transferable without the approval of the governing body of the city.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1611 Revocation.

The governing body is hereby authorized to refuse to issue or revoke any license and conditional use permit previously issued pursuant to the terms of this article if, after due investigation and hearing of the governing body, they determine that the applicant or holder thereof has violated any of the provisions of this article or that any mobile home park is being maintained in an unsanitary or unsafe manner or is a nuisance. Notice of the hearing shall be mailed to a licensee or applicant at his or her last known address as shown thereon at least five days prior to the date set for the hearing.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1612 Management.

Each mobile home park shall be operated by a resident manager who shall be responsible for the maintenance of the park. It shall be the duty of the resident manager to see that no damaged or deteriorated mobile homes shall be permitted to remain within the park. He or she shall see that all mobile home sites are maintained in a clean, sanitary and orderly manner. No trash, garbage or other litter shall be permitted to accumulate or remain around any mobile home within a mobile home park.

The attendant shall keep a record of all mobile homes or travel trailers parked in the park under his or her supervision, including the name and address of the owner, the license numbers, and the state of origin of cars and travel trailers and the number of occupants of each unit.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1613 Piers; tie-downs.

It shall be the duty of every mobile home park operator to see that all mobile homes within the park are placed upon piers and secured by tie-downs as provided by state law as set forth in K.S.A. 75-1230 and K.S.A. 75-1231.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1614 Skirting.

Each mobile home shall be skirted within 30 days after being placed within a mobile home park. Skirting shall completely encircle the perimeter of the mobile home and shall be of a material harmonious to the mobile home structure.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1615 Camper parks.

(a)A portion of a mobile home park may be reserved and set aside as a travel trailer camping area. Such area shall comply with all requirements of this article except as to lot size. Travel trailer camp sites shall be of a size to be determined by the governing body at the time of approving the mobile home park site plan.

(b)Any person desiring to develop an area not part of a mobile home park as a travel trailer camping area shall secure a special use permit from the governing body in addition to the license and conditional use permit as provided in section 4-1606. The provisions of this article shall apply to such travel trailer camping area except as to lot size unless specifically waived by the governing body at the time of granting the special use permit. Travel trailer camp sites shall be of a size to be determined by the governing body at the time of approving the special use permit.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1616 Same; cleanliness.

All camping areas shall be kept free of litter, rubbish and inflammable material at all times. Hoses and portable fire extinguishers shall be available and in good repair for use in fighting fires.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1617 Same; fires.

Fires shall be made only in stoves, incinerators or other equipment intended for that purpose.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1618 Drainage.

Each mobile home park shall be graded so that runoff water shall not collect or stand upon any mobile home site, playground, parking lot, street or drive. Drainage shall not endanger any water supply.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1619 Size of park site.

No mobile home park site shall contain less than 10 acres.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1620 Open space.

Each mobile home shall be located upon the mobile home site so that there shall be at least a 30 foot clearance between mobile homes. There shall be a minimum set back of 15 feet from the front lot line and at least six feet to the boundary lot line. Where mobile homes are parked end-to-end, the clearance between mobile homes shall be not less than 20 feet. No mobile home shall be located closer than 20 feet from any building within the park or from any property line bounding the park.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1621 Streets.

All internal streets shall be asphalt or concrete surfaced and shall be durable and well drained under normal use and weather conditions. The mobile home park management shall maintain the surface free of cracks, holes and other hazards. Grades of all streets shall be sufficient to insure adequate surface drainage. Grades shall not exceed two percent. Entrance streets and all other streets with parking allowances on both sides of the street shall be a minimum of 42 feet in width. Streets with parking allowance on one side only shall be a minimum of 32 feet in width. Streets with no parking allowance shall be a minimum of 24 feet in width.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1622 Lighting.

Adequate lighting shall be provided for all streets, walkways, service buildings and other facilities subject to nighttime use.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1623 Parking.

Adequate parking shall be provided for the use of mobile home park residents and guests. Each mobile home lot shall have off-street or on-street parking spaces for at least two automobiles. In addition, each mobile home park shall maintain an off-street parking area(s) and/or on-street parking spaces for guests in the amount of at least one parking space for every three mobile home lots and located within 300 feet of the units to be served.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1624 Utilities.

(a)Water. Each mobile home space shall be provided with a connection to the public water supply. The water supply system, including mobile home connections, shall meet the standards established by the plumbing code for potable water supply.

(b)Electric. Each mobile home shall be provided with an electrical connection. Electric lines and facilities provided within the mobile home park shall meet the requirements of the electrical code.

(c)Sewers. All mobile home sites within a mobile home park shall be provided with a sanitary sewer which conforms to the plumbing code for mobile home connections.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1625 Solid waste.

Each operator of a mobile home park shall make provision for the collection and disposition of refuse. The occupant of each mobile home site shall provide a suitable fly-tight, water proof container for the storage of garbage and trash. In lieu of individual containers, the park operator may provide for bulk containers, provided that no bulk container shall be located more than 100 feet of each mobile home site.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1626 Streets and drives.

All streets and drives within the mobile home park shall be improved to standards to be determined by the city engineer and approved by the governing body. Dead end streets shall be limited in length to 1000 feet and shall be provided at the closed end with a turn-around having an outside roadway diameter of at least 70 feet.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1627 Storm shelter.

Within the mobile home park, one or more storm shelters shall be constructed of sufficient size to accommodate at least two persons per mobile home. Any mobile home shall be within 100 yards in a straight line from a storm shelter. Mobile home park residents shall have free and open access to storm shelters at all times. Storm shelters shall not be used for storage or for any purpose that would diminish or take away from their use as a storm shelter.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1628 Landscaping.

(a)Yards shall be provided surrounding all structures not located on a mobile home site. All areas not covered by buildings or paved areas shall be landscaped with such landscaping continuously maintained.

(b)Screening shall be provided adjacent to all property lines of any mobile home park which are contiguous to the boundary of any one-family, two-family, or apartment zone district. The screening shall be provided by a wall, fences, or densely planted compact hedge not less than five feet or more than seven feet in height. Shrubbery or trees, not less than five feet in height, may be substituted for the hedge. The screening strip shall not be located within a mobile home site.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1629 Storage and numbering.

Each mobile home park shall have adequate areas designated for the storage of boats, trailers, inoperable vehicles, snowmobiles, and other similar equipment of seasonal or recreational uses. This area may be commercially operated for the use of residents of the mobile home park. Such equipment shall not be stored upon a mobile home lot outside a closed structure nor upon the mobile home park street.

Each mobile home lot within the mobile home park shall be numbered in an orderly fashion. That lot number shall be displayed on the lot in a secure manner and consistent throughout the mobile home park. Lot numbers shall be visible at all times. Lot numbers shall be so located so as to avoid confusion regarding which number belongs to which lot.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1630 Recreation area.

One or more recreation areas shall be provided within every mobile home park. The size of such recreation area(s) shall not be less than five percent of the gross area of the mobile home park and shall be located so as to be easily accessible to all park residents. Recreation areas shall be maintained by the mobile home park management and may include space for community buildings and community use facilities such as indoor recreation, meeting rooms and similar uses.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)

4-1631 Service buildings.

Each mobile home park or travel trailer park which provides parking facilities for travel trailers which are not equipped with sanitary facilities shall provide at least one service building to be located not more than 100 feet from the parking sites. Service buildings shall:

(a)Be located 20 feet or more from any trailer parking space.

(b)Be of permanent construction and of a moisture-resistant material to permit frequent washing and cleaning.

(c)Be adequately lighted and well ventilated, with all openings effectively screened.

(d)Have not less than two toilets for females, two toilets for males, two lavatories and showers for each sex, and laundry facilities sufficient for the entire development project.

(Ord. 99-656; Code 2022)