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Alma City Zoning Code

§ 16 MH-1

Manufactured home park.

A. 
Purpose.
The Manufactured Home Park (MH-1) District is designed to provide areas for the location of rented or leased HUD-Code Manufactured Homes in an attractive, medium-high density detached multi-family neighborhood setting and ensure the presence of amenities required for satisfactory quality of life in areas designated for manufactured home use. Multiple units shall be uniformly located within a single large parcel in contrast to the Manufactured Home Subdivision (MH-2) residential in which single units are located on individually platted lots similar to Single-Family (SF) zoning.
All MH-1 Rental Communities with twenty-four (24) or more dwelling units shall provide open space and recreational areas appropriate for the acreage and number of units contained. Areas zoned for the MH-1 District shall have, or shall make provision for, City of Alma water and sewer services. They shall be designed to adequately accommodate storm drainage; they shall have paved streets with logical and efficient vehicular circulation patterns that discourage non-local traffic; they shall be properly buffered from non-residential uses; and they shall be protected from pollution and undesirable environmental and noise impacts.
B. 
Uses permitted.
The following uses shall be permitted:
(1) 
HUD-code manufactured home;
(2) 
Public parks, playgrounds, recreational and community center buildings and grounds; public golf courses, public swimming pools, tennis courts and similar recreational uses, all of a noncommercial nature;
(3) 
Any principal building or any swimming pool shall be located not less than one hundred (100) feet from any property line of any other residential district.
(4) 
Athletic fields and playfields, noncommercial, including stadiums and grandstands.
(5) 
Mobile homes (built prior to June 15, 1976) as defined in the Manufactured Housing Standards Act, Article 5221f, Section 3(a), V.T.C.S., are prohibited within the City limits and shall not be used as a dwelling unit in any zoning district.
(6) 
Single-family detached homes, management offices or clubhouses built in this district shall comply with the Single-Family (R-1) Residential District requirements including height, setbacks, exterior facade materials, minimum dwelling size, etc.
C. 
Area regulations.
(1) 
Orientation of the Dwelling Unit
- Manufactured Homes may be either oriented perpendicular or parallel to the abutting street; however, the two types may not be mixed together in the same park facility.
(2) 
Size of Yards
(for each lot/space within a manufactured home park):
(a) 
Minimum front yard
- Twenty-five feet (25') from a dedicated street or from any private street or drive.
(b) 
Minimum side yard
- Minimum distance between units regardless of orientation shall be sixteen (16') feet of separation between any two manufactured homes and a minimum of ten (10') feet between any site-built storage sheds, carports, porches, decks, patios or awnings with or without roofs and the adjacent unit. Add an additional ten (10') feet for any side facing a side street on a corner lot.
(c) 
Minimum rear yard
- Fifteen feet (15'). If a garage is provided, the entry (i.e., door) side of the garage shall have a twenty-five-foot (25') setback as measured from any property or street right-of-way line.
(3) 
Minimum Space per Unit
- A minimum of approximately 4,500 square feet of space shall be provided for each unit for the placement of the unit and adequate yard space for the use of the tenant.
(4) 
Minimum Floor Area per Dwelling Unit:
Twelve hundred (1,200) square feet.
(5) 
Maximum Lot Coverage:
Fifty percent (50%) for main buildings/units plus any accessory buildings and impervious surfaces, the remainder to be in open space.
(6) 
Maximum Density:
The maximum number of dwelling units shall not exceed eight (8) units per acre.
(7) 
Parking Regulations:
Two (2) spaces per unit located on the same lot as the unit served.
(8) 
Area for Manufactured Home Park (MH 1)
- Minimum subdivision area shall be two and one-half acres (2.5) acres; maximum park area shall not exceed twenty-five (25) acres.
(9) 
Maximum Height Limit:
(a) 
One (1) story, not to exceed eighteen (18') feet for the main manufactured home.
(b) 
One (1) story, for other accessory buildings, including detached garages and carports, gazebos, mail kiosks, etc., not to exceed eighteen (18') feet.
(10) 
Maximum Impervious Surface Coverage
- Fifty percent (50%).
(11) 
Development Standards:
(a) 
All units shall be at least twenty (20') feet wide (e.g., "double-wide). As of the effective date of this Ordinance all single-wide units shall be deemed nonconforming and shall not be brought into the City to occupy an existing vacant lot or to occupy a newly platted lot.
(b) 
A pitched roof having a minimum of 4:12 is required with a minimum six-inch (6") overhang.
(c) 
Manufactured housing design and construction will comply with manufactured housing construction and safety standards published by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) pursuant to the requirements of the Texas Manufactured Housing Standards Act (Vernon's Annotated Civil Statutes Art. 5221f, as amended) and all manufactured housing will be subject to inspection by the Building Official, or his designee.
(d) 
All manufactured housing within the City shall be anchored on a permanent concrete foundation in accordance with Federal guidelines as stated in the "Permanent Foundation Guide for Manufactured Housing" (HUD 7584). Any additions to the original structure, such as rooms, storage, or garages shall be constructed on a solid concrete slab.
(e) 
Covered porches, patios and decks shall be constructed on-site, and shall not be located closer than ten (10') feet from any adjacent dwelling unit or structure.
(f) 
Axles and tongues shall be removed, such that the manufactured housing unit becomes permanently placed upon the site.
(g) 
Any siding or sheathing used on housing units (or on buildings added onto housing units) shall be compatible with materials used on surrounding structure.
D. 
Supplemental requirements for manufactured home parks.
(1) 
Tenant Parking
- Each parking space shall be an approved all-weather surface, in accordance with City standards, and shall be located to eliminate interference with access to parking areas provided for other manufactured homes and for public parking in the park.
(2) 
Visitor and Supplemental Parking
- In addition to parking spaces required for each manufactured home unit, there shall be paved parking provided for the manufactured home community in general:
(a) 
One (1) visitor parking space for every three (3) manufactured home lots. Visitor parking may be grouped together in a common area with no more than ten (10) parking spaces in each visitor's parking lot.
(b) 
Supplemental parking for vehicle storage space for the parking or storage of boats, campers and similar vehicles or equipment may be grouped together as well in a common area not to exceed ten (10) spaces for the use of residents.
(c) 
Supplemental spaces may be located anywhere within the manufactured home subdivision provided that no manufactured home lot shall be situated further than six hundred (600') from a common parking lot.
(3) 
Access:
(a) 
Each manufactured home park shall have direct access from an improved public street in accordance with the Subdivision Ordinance.
(b) 
Where an internal private street provides access to individual lots or dwelling units, the same shall be paved in accordance with City standards, and it shall be dedicated to the public as an emergency access or fire lane easement to allow for the rapid and safe movement of vehicles used in providing emergency health or public safety services.
(c) 
All MH Parks shall make provisions for the maintenance of all private access infrastructure including streets, fire lanes, sidewalks and common parking lots within the subdivision (see Subsection (4) below).
(d) 
Each emergency access/fire lane easement shall have a clear unobstructed width as specified in the adopted International Fire Code, shall connect to a dedicated public street, and shall meet the minimum required turning area and radii to permit free movement of emergency vehicles.
(e) 
Dead end streets are not allowed without an approved turn around in accordance with the adopted Fire Code. Fire lane easements shall be maintained by the manufactured home subdivision.
(f) 
Gated/secured entrances shall be in accordance with the design standards for gated/secured entrances on private streets (see Subdivision Ordinance).
(4) 
Maintenance Requirements for Common Areas
- The property owner(s) shall be required for continued maintenance of common land, clubhouses, private streets, sidewalks, common parking lots or spaces, open space and/or other facilities. In the event of failure to maintain said common areas, the City may utilize all remedies available at law to compel compliance from the property owners, and provide for a lien against the property of the owners.
(5) 
Walkways
- Designated concrete walkways four feet (4') in width will be provided on both sides of roadways or streets public or private.
(6) 
Street Names and Signs
- Within each manufactured home park, all streets shall be named, and manufactured homes numbered in a logical and orderly fashion. Private street signs shall be of a color and size contrasting with those on public streets and roadways so that there is no confusion regarding which are private and which are public streets. These signs and numbers shall be of standard size and placement to facilitate location by emergency vehicles. Street names shall be submitted to the City Administrator (or designee) along with the subdivision plat application, reviewed by the appropriate City staff with respect to street naming procedures set forth within the Subdivision Ordinance and/or the City's Code of Ordinances, and approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council on the preliminary plat for the subdivision. The street names shall be set with preliminary plat approval, and shall not be changed on the final plat without City approval. All dwelling unit numbering (i.e., addressing) shall be assigned by the Developer and approved by the City.
(7) 
Other Signs
- Along all sections of emergency access easements, the owner or agent shall erect metal signs prohibiting parking. The sign type, size, height and location shall be in accordance with the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices and approved by the City.
(8) 
Intersections
- Internal streets shall intersect adjoining public streets at approximately ninety degrees (90°) and at locations which will eliminate or minimize interference with traffic on those public streets.
(9) 
Street Lighting
- Street lighting along public and private streets within the manufactured home subdivision shall be provided in accordance with the Subdivision Regulations, and shall be maintained by the property owner's association of the manufactured home park if along private streets.
(10) 
Electric and Telephone Service
- All electrical distribution lines and all telephone lines shall be underground except the primary service lines to the subdivision.
(11) 
Drainage and Soil Protection
- The ground surface in all parts of the subdivision shall be graded and equipped to drain all surface water in a safe, efficient manner. Each manufactured home lot shall provide adequate drainage for the placement of a manufactured home. Exposed ground surfaces in all parts of every manufactured home subdivision shall be protected with a vegetative growth (such as grass) capable of preventing soil erosion and eliminating dust or paved and/or covered with erosion resistant but porous materials, such as, decomposed crushed granite, stone, brick paving, or other similar solid material.
(12) 
Firefighting:
(a) 
Approaches to all manufactured homes shall be kept clear for firefighting.
(b) 
The owner or agent of a manufactured home subdivision shall be responsible for the instruction of any staff in the use of the park fire protection equipment and in their specific duties in the event of a fire. Owner shall install standard City fire hydrants located at three hundred feet (300') intervals along all internal streets public or private.
(c) 
The owner or agent of a manufactured home park shall be responsible for maintaining the entire area of the park free of dry brush, leaves and weeds in excess of six inches (6") in height.
(13) 
Refuse Facilities
- If refuse services are not provided to individual lots then every manufactured home dwelling unit shall be located within one hundred fifty feet (150') of a common refuse facility, measured along the designated pedestrian travel way. A refuse facility shall be a dumpster or other similar container designed for receiving garbage in bulk for more than one dwelling, and all refuse containers shall be maintained in accordance with local public health and sanitary regulations. Refuse containers shall be located no closer than thirty feet (30') to any adjacent single-family property, shall be located so as to provide safe and convenient pickup by refuse collection agencies, and shall be screened in accordance with Section 24 [Section 20] of this Ordinance.
(14) 
Anchorage of Manufactured Homes
- To insure against natural hazards such as tornados, high winds and electrical storms, anchorage for each manufactured home shall be provided according to the Building Code and State law.
(15) 
Skirting:
(a) 
All manufactured home units shall provide skirting from the top of the unit's frame to grade. Skirting shall totally enclose and secure from view the unit's axles and all required anchors, footings, and piers.
(b) 
All required skirting shall be masonry (or an approved substitute of equal durability) resistant to impact damage by weed trimmers or lawnmowers and shall be of a color similar to the materials used in the construction of the manufactured home unit such that it blends with the overall appearance of the unit.
E. 
Special requirements.
Site Plan submission and approval shall be required for any manufactured home park in the MH-1 District. Such Site Plan approval shall not require a public hearing as unless the site plan submittal is part of a zoning change request to establish an MH-1 District zoning classification. Any nonresidential land use which may be permitted in this district shall conform to the (C-1) Commercial -Office, Light Retail, Neighborhood Services District standards.
(Ordinance 2021-5-1 adopted 5/25/21)