Mobile Home Park Residential Districts (R-5) may hereafter be established by amendments to the Official Zoning Map in accordance with the procedures, requirements and limitations set forth in this article. Within such districts, mobile homes, with such additional supporting uses and occupancies as are permitted herein, may be established subject to the requirements and limitations set forth in these and other regulations.

It is the intent of this article to recognize mobile homes constructed prior to October 1, 1974, as distinct and different from units designated as mobile homes within the definitions of this article and to prohibit units not meeting the requirements for mobile homes as defined herein. Units constructed prior to 1974 are prohibited. Mobile homes meeting the requirements of the State Uniform Dwelling Code shall not be permitted in an R-5 Mobile Home Park Residential District except as a conditional use. Such conditional use permits may be obtained only after approval by the Plan Commission.[1]

The procedure for creation of an R-5 Mobile Home Park Residential District shall be as prescribed in Article XIII of this chapter, except that the standards and conditions in §§ 480-37 and 480-39 shall be followed.

The following principal uses and structures are permitted within R-5 Districts: one-family detached mobile homes (residential mobile home). In mobile home parks, recreational vehicles shall not be occupied as living quarters and sales lots shall not be permitted, but dwellings may be sold on lots they occupy in residential use.[1]

Permitted accessory uses and structures. Uses and structures that are customarily accessory and clearly incidental to permitted principal uses and structures shall be permitted, except for those requiring specific approval as provided below.

Rental. No mobile home park site shall be rented for a period of less than 30 days.

It shall be unlawful, except as provided in this article, for any person to park or use any mobile home on any street, alley, highway or road or other public place or on any parcel of land or other space within the Village of Athens.

Emergency or temporary stopping or parking is permitted on any street, alley, highway or road for no longer than one hour, subject to any other and further prohibition, regulation or limitation imposed by the traffic and parking regulations or ordinance for that street, alley, highway or road.

It shall be unlawful for any person to establish, operate or maintain or permit to be established, operated or maintained upon any property owned, leased or controlled by him/her a mobile home park within the limits of the Village of Athens without first having obtained a license for each such mobile home park from the Village Board pursuant to this article. Such license shall expire one year from the date of issuance but may be renewed under the provisions of this article for additional periods of one year.

The application for such license or the renewal shall be accompanied by a fee as prescribed in the Village Fee Schedule for each space in the existing or proposed mobile home park, and a surety bond may be required in the amount of $5,000, which shall guarantee the collection by the licensee of the monthly parking permit fee if required by the Village[2] and the payment of such fees to the Village Clerk and the payment by the licensee of any fine or forfeiture, including legal costs, imposed upon or levied against said licensee for a violation of the ordinances of said Village pursuant to which said license is granted, and shall also be for the use and benefit of, and may be prosecuted and recovery had thereon by, any person who may be injured or damaged by reason of the licensee violating the provisions of this article.

The application for a license or a renewal thereof shall be made on forms furnished by the Village Clerk and shall include the name and address of the owner in fee of the lands upon which said mobile home park is to be located (if the fee is vested in some person other than the applicant, a duly verified statement by that person that the applicant is authorized by him/her to construct or maintain the mobile home park and to apply for a license shall be provided) and the location and legal description of the premises upon which the mobile home park is to be or is located as will readily identify and definitely locate the premises.

Each mobile home space within a mobile home park shall be clearly defined and shall contain at least 5,000 square feet of land area for the exclusive use of the occupant; such space shall be no less than 40 feet in width and no less than 100 feet in depth. The area occupied by a mobile home shall not exceed 50% of the total area of the mobile home space (including any awnings, carports, vehicles or attachments thereto). Each mobile home space shall be landscaped in accordance with the plans approved by the Village Board. The mobile home park shall be so arranged that all spaces shall face or abut on an approved public roadway giving easy access thereto. The yard shall be landscaped except for necessary driveway and sidewalk needs, which shall not exceed 1/2 the width of the space. Temporary storage shall not be allowed on lawn areas.[1]

Roadways shall be at least 60 feet in width and shall be paved to Village specifications.

Parking.

Each space shall be properly landscaped with at least one tree, hedges, grass, fences, windbreaks and the like. All mobile home parks shall have a greenbelt or buffer strip not less than 20 feet wide along all boundaries. Unless adequately screened by existing vegetative cover, all mobile home parks shall be provided within such greenbelt or buffer strip with screening of natural growth or screen fence, except where the adjoining property is also a mobile home park. Compliance with this requirement shall be made within five years from the granting of the mobile home park license. Permanent planting shall be grown and maintained at a height of not less than six feet. Screening or planting requirements may be waived or modified by the governing body if it finds that the exterior architectural appeal and functional plan of the park, when completed, will be materially enhanced by modification or elimination of such screen planting requirements.[2]

No mobile home shall be parked closer than five feet to the side lot lines nor closer than 20 feet to the front lot line or within 25 feet of the rear lot line.

There shall be an open space of at least 10 feet between the sides of adjacent mobile homes. Automobiles may park no closer than five feet to the side of any mobile home; automobiles shall not, however, be parked nearer than five feet to any side lot line.

No tents shall be erected or occupied on any space for longer than seven days, and there shall be no outdoor camping anywhere in the mobile home park.

All nondependent units must be connected to public water and sanitary sewer systems, and plans for disposal of surface stormwater shall be approved by the Village Board.

Every mobile home space shall be furnished with an electric service outlet. Such outlet shall be equipped with an externally operated switch or fuse with not less than 60 amperes capacity and a heavy-duty outlet receptacle. All utility lines shall be placed underground.

No mobile home shall be parked in a mobile home park outside of a designated space therein.

Each mobile home space shall contain a paved area upon which said mobile home is to be placed. Said paved area shall be at least as large as the mobile home which is to be placed thereon.

The mobile home park shall be so arranged that no dependent unit shall be located further than 200 feet from the toilets and service buildings provided for herein, and walkways to such buildings shall be paved and well lighted.

An adequate supply of pure water furnished through a pipe distribution system connected directly with the public water main with supply faucets located not more than 200 feet from any dependent mobile home shall be furnished for drinking and domestic service in all mobile home parks.

Individual water service connections provided for direct use of an independent unit shall be so constructed that they will not be damaged by the parking of such mobile home. Such system shall be adequate to provide 20 pounds per square inch pressure and capable of furnishing a minimum of 125 gallons of water per day per space.

No common drinking vessels shall be permitted, nor shall any drinking water faucets be placed in any toilet room.

Every mobile home park servicing dependent units shall provide an abundant supply of hot water at all reasonable hours for bathing, washing and laundry facilities.

Every mobile home park designed to serve dependent units shall have erected thereon suitable buildings for housing toilets, lavatories, showers, slop sinks and laundry facilities as required by this article and by the State of Wisconsin Administrative Code, such buildings to be known as "service buildings." Service buildings shall be located not more than 200 feet from any mobile home space. Such service buildings shall be of permanent construction and adequately lighted, screened and ventilated.

There shall be provided separate toilet rooms for each sex. Water flush toilets shall be required. Toilets shall be provided for each sex in the ratio of one toilet for each six dependent units or fraction thereof and shall have separate compartments. Every male toilet room shall contain one urinal for each 16 dependent units, but in no case shall any male toilet be without one urinal. Toilet rooms shall contain lavatories with hot and cold running water in the ratio of one lavatory for each two water closets.

Separate bathing facilities for each sex shall be provided with one shower enclosed in a compartment at least four feet square in size for each six dependent units or fraction thereof. Each shower compartment shall be supplemented by an individual dressing compartment which shall be at least 16 square feet in size.

Laundry facilities shall be provided on the ratio of one double-tray unit and one conventional-type washing machine or one automatic washing machine, with electric outlet, for each eight units. Sufficient drying facilities shall be available.

Slop sinks for disposal of liquid wastes originating at the units shall be provided in a separate room of the service building in the ratio of one slop sink for each 16 dependent units.

Floors of toilets, showers and the laundry shall be concrete, tile or similar material impervious to water and easily cleaned and pitched to a floor drain.

All liquid wastes from showers, toilets, laundries, faucets, lavatories, etc., shall be discharged into a sewer system.

Every space designed to serve a nondependent unit shall be provided with sewer connections which shall comply with all applicable state plumbing codes. The sewer connections shall be provided with suitable fitting so that watertight connections can be made. Such connections shall be so constructed that they can be closed when not connected and trapped in such a manner as to be maintained in an odor-free condition.

All sanitary facilities in any unit which are not connected with a public sewer system by approved pipe connections shall be sealed and their use is hereby declared unlawful.

Each faucet shall be equipped with facilities for drainage of waste and excess water.

In every mobile home park there shall be located an office of the attendant or person in charge of said park. A copy of the park license and of this chapter shall be posted therein and the park register shall, at all times, be kept in said office.

The attendant or person in charge and the park licensee shall operate the park in compliance with this chapter and regulations and ordinances of the Village and state and their agents or officers and shall have the following duties:

Park occupants shall comply with all applicable requirements of this chapter and regulations issued hereunder and shall maintain their mobile home space, its facilities and equipment in good repair and in a clean and sanitary condition.

Park occupants shall be responsible for proper placement of their mobile homes on the mobile home stand and proper installation of all utility connections in accordance with the instructions of the park management.

No owner or person in charge of a dog, cat or other pet animal shall permit it to run at large or to cause any nuisance within the limits of any mobile home park.

Each owner or occupant of a nonexempt mobile home within a mobile home park shall remit to the licensee or authorized park management the cash deposit and monthly parking permit fee.

It shall be the duty of every occupant of a park to give the park licensee or management, or his/her agent or employee, access to any part of such park or mobile home premises at reasonable times for the purpose of making such repairs or alterations as are necessary to effect compliance with this chapter or any law or ordinance of the state or Village or lawful regulation or order adopted thereunder.

Mobile homes shall be parked only on the mobile home stands provided and shall be placed thereon in accordance with all requirements of this chapter.

No mobile home owner or occupant shall conduct in any unit or any mobile home park any business or engage in any other activity which would not be permitted in single-family residential areas in the Village.

No person shall discharge any wastewater on the surface of the ground within any mobile home park.

No person shall erect or place upon any mobile home space any permanent or temporary structure intended to be used for dwelling purposes or in connection with any mobile home unit except as specifically authorized by this chapter.

Wrecked, damaged or dilapidated mobile homes shall not be kept or stored in a mobile home park or upon any premises in the Village. The Village Board shall determine if a mobile home is damaged or dilapidated to a point which makes it unfit for human occupancy. Such mobile homes are hereby declared to be a public nuisance. Whenever the Village Board so determines, it shall notify the licensee or landowner and owner of the mobile home in writing that such public nuisance exists within the park or on lands owned by him/her giving the findings upon which its determination is based and shall order such home removed from the park or site or repaired to a safe, sanitary and wholesome condition of occupancy within a reasonable time, but not less than 30 days.[1]

The Village Board, Fire Inspector or their lawful agents or employees are authorized to inspect mobile home parks to determine the health, safety and welfare of the occupants of the park and inhabitants of the Village as affected thereby and the compliance of structures and activities therein with this chapter and all other applicable laws of the state and ordinances of the Village.[2]

Fires in mobile home parks shall be made only in stoves and other cooking or heating equipment intended for such purposes. Outside burning is prohibited except by permit and subject to requirements or restrictions of the Fire Inspector.

All plumbing, building, electrical, oil or gas distribution, alterations or repairs in the park shall be in accordance with the regulations of applicable laws, ordinances and regulations of the state and municipality and their authorized agents.

All mobile homes in mobile home parks shall be skirted unless the unit is placed within one foot vertically of the stand with soil or other material completely closing such space from view and entry by rodents and vermin. Areas enclosed by such skirting shall be maintained free of rodents and fire hazards.

No person shall construct, alter or add to any structure, attachment or building in a mobile home park or on a mobile home space without a permit from the Zoning Administrator in compliance with Chapter 190, Building Construction, of this Code. Construction on or addition or alteration to the exterior of a mobile home shall be of the same type of construction and materials as the mobile home affected. This subsection shall not apply to addition of awnings, antennas or skirting to mobile homes.[3]

Storage under mobile homes is prohibited.

No more than one identification sign, not exceeding 20 square feet in area, may be erected for each principal entrance.

No more than one sign, not exceeding four square feet in area, advertising property for sale, lease or rent, or indicating "Vacancy" or "No Vacancy," may be erected at each principal entrance.

In the case of new mobile home parks consisting in whole or in part of mobile home subdivisions or condominiums, one sign, not exceeding 20 square feet in area, may be erected for a period of not more than two years at each principal entrance to advertise the sale of lots or dwellings.

No source of illumination for any such signs shall be directly visible from adjoining streets or residential property, and no such signs shall be erected within five feet of any exterior property line.

Principal vehicular access points. Principal vehicular access points shall be designed to encourage smooth traffic flow with controlled turning movements and minimum hazards to vehicular or pedestrian traffic. Merging and turnout lanes and/or traffic dividers shall be required where existing or anticipated heavy flows indicate need. In general, minor streets shall not be connected with streets outside the district in such a way as to encourage the use of such minor streets by substantial amounts of through traffic. No lot within the park shall have direct vehicular access to a street bordering the development.

Access for pedestrians and cyclists. Access for pedestrians and cyclists entering or leaving the park shall be by safe and convenient routes. Such ways need not be adjacent to or limited to the vicinity of vehicular access points. Where there are crossings of such ways and vehicular routes at edges of mobile home parks, such crossings shall be safety located, marked and controlled, and where such ways are exposed to substantial vehicular traffic at edges of parks, safeguards may be required to prevent crossings except at designated points. Bicycle paths, if provided, shall be so related to the pedestrianway system that street crossings are combined.

Protection of visibility for automotive traffic, cyclists and pedestrians. At intersections of any streets, public or private, the provisions of § 480-48 shall apply and are hereby adopted by reference. Where there is pedestrian or bicycle access from within the park to a street at its edges by paths or across yards or other open space without a barrier to prevent access to the street, no material impediment to visibility more than 2.5 feet above ground level shall be created or maintained within 25 feet of said street unless at least 25 feet from said access measured at right angles to the path.

Exterior yards for mobile home parks; minimum requirements; occupancy. The following requirements and limitations shall apply to yards at the outer edges of mobile home parks:

Ways for pedestrians and/or cyclists in exterior yards. In any exterior yard, required or other, ways for pedestrians and/or cyclists may be permitted, if appropriately located, fenced or landscaped to prevent potential hazards arising from vehicular traffic on adjacent streets or other hazards and annoyances to users or to occupants of adjoining property. When otherwise in accord with the requirements concerning such ways set forth above, approved ways in such locations shall be counted as common recreation facilities and may also be used for utility easements.

Yards, fences, walls or vegetative screening at edges of mobile home parks. Along the edges of mobile home parks, walls or vegetative screening shall be provided where needed to protect residents from undesirable views, lighting, noise, or other off-site influences or to protect occupants of adjoining residential districts from potentially adverse influences within the mobile home park. In particular, extensive off-street parking areas and service areas for loading and unloading other than passenger vehicles, and for storage and collection of trash and garbage, shall be screened.

Internal relationships. The site plan shall provide for safe, efficient, convenient and harmonious groupings of structures, uses and facilities and for appropriate relation of space inside and outside buildings to intended uses and structural features. In particular: