The intent of the Mobile Home Residential District (R-4) is to provide an affordable housing alternative where placement of such a development would be appropriate and consistent with the city's general character. The standards required in this district are intended to be consistent with the adopted standards for other types of housing in the city. In addition to the standards of this chapter, all manufactured housing communities shall comply with the Mobile Home Commission Act, MCL 125.2301 et seq. However, some standards of this chapter are more stringent than the typical standards promoted by the state manufactured housing commission. These more stringent standards reflect the overall nature of the city, in contrast with some other areas of the state where the universal rules of the state manufactured housing commission may be appropriate. These adopted standards are designed to foster and encourage development which complements and protects the investment on adjacent properties and promotes preservation of important natural features.

(Code 2009, § 40-622; Ord. No. 53-A, § 21.01, 8-16-1982; Ord. No. 156, § 1(21.01), 7-9-2009)

(a)

The manufactured home park shall be developed with sites averaging 5,500 square feet per manufactured home unit. The 5,500 square feet for any one site may be reduced by 20 percent, provided that the individual site shall be equal to at least 4,400 square feet. For each square foot of land gained through the reduction of a site below 5,500 square feet, at least an equal amount of land shall be dedicated as open space. This open space shall be in addition to that required under Mich. Admin. Code R. 125.1946, 125.1941 and 125.1944.

(b)

There shall be not less than 720 square feet of floor area within each manufactured home. The floor area of any porch, sun deck, or other structure shall not be used to meet this requirement.

(c)

The placement of manufactured homes within a manufactured home park shall meet the following internal setback requirements:

(1)

20 feet from any part of an attached or detached structure or an adjacent manufactured home that is used for living purposes.

(2)

Ten feet from an on-site parking space of an adjacent manufactured home site.

(3)

Ten feet from an attached or detached structure or accessory building of an adjacent manufactured home which is not used for living purposes.

(4)

50 feet from a permanent building.

(5)

Ten feet from the edge of an internal street.

(6)

Seven feet from a parking bay.

(7)

Seven feet from a common sidewalk.

(d)

Manufactured home parks shall be landscaped as follows:

(1)

If the manufactured home park abuts an existing residential development, the park shall be required to provide landscape screening along the park boundary abutting the residential development.

(2)

If the park abuts a nonresidential development, the park need not provide landscape screening.

(3)

In all cases, however, a park shall provide landscape screening along the park boundary abutting a public right-of-way.

(4)

The landscape screening shall consist of evergreen trees or shrubs of a minimum three feet in height, which are spaced so they provide a continuous screen at maturity. Alternative screening devices subject to prior approval may be utilized if they conceal the manufactured home park as effectively as the required landscaping described above and provided the screening is kept in good repair.

(5)

Exposed ground surfaces in all parts of the manufactured home park shall be paved or covered with stone or other solid material or protected with grass, trees, or shrubs that are capable of preventing soil erosion. The ground surface in all parts of every manufactured home park shall be graded and equipped to drain all surface water in a safe, efficient manner.

(e)

Open space shall be provided as required by Mich. Admin. Code R. 125.1946 of the state mobile home commission and shall be designated on the site plan. Should recreational areas also be proposed, these shall also be shown on the plans.

(f)

All streets within the park shall be constructed and paved in accordance with AASHTO (American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials) specifications specified in Mich. Admin. Code R. 125.1922 of the state mobile home commission.

(g)

The manufactured home park shall be provided with a walk system in conformance with the requirements of the Mich. Admin. Code R. 125.1928 of the state mobile home commission.

(h)

Each manufactured home site shall conform with state mobile home commission requirements of Mich. Admin. Code R. 125.1602 for installation of mobile homes.

(i)

The grounds of a manufactured home park shall be graded to drain properly into storm sewers.

(1)

If concrete pads are used with a well to receive the wheels of the manufactured home, such well shall be provided with a separate storm sewer connection which shall be adequate to drain any stormwater which might enter the well into the park's storm sewerage system.

(2)

All storm sewers shall be constructed in accordance with parts 2 to 4 of the state department of public health manufactured home park standards, by the developer.

(j)

Site built single-family dwellings may be located in a manufactured home park as permitted by the state mobile home commission.

(k)

All manufactured home sites and all other buildings shall be connected to the sanitary sewer and water system of the city, if the systems are available within 200 feet of the manufactured home park at the time of preliminary plan approval. If public water or sewer is unavailable, the park shall connect to a state-approved system.

(l)

There shall be a maximum of two 16 square foot monument signs per street frontage with an entrance that shall bear only the name of the manufactured home park. Such signs shall be located ten feet from the lot line/right-of-way line and shall comply with article VII of this chapter, signs may be lighted, provided that the source of light is internal or shielded downward so as not to interfere with the vision of persons/traffic on adjacent right-of-way or property and is not of the flashing or intermittent type.

(m)

The business of selling or storing new or used manufactured homes as a commercial operation in connection with the operation of a manufactured home development is prohibited. New or used manufactured homes located on lots within the manufactured home development to be used and occupied on that site may be sold by a licensed dealer or broker. This section shall not prohibit the sale of a used manufactured home by a resident of the manufactured home development provided the development permits the sale.

(n)

All other requirements of the Mobile Home Commission Act, MCL 125.2301 et seq., and the most recent mobile home commission rules shall apply.

(o)

Two access points shall be provided to a major street to allow a secondary access for emergency vehicles. A boulevard entrance extending to the first intersection of interior park streets shall be interpreted as satisfying this requirement.

(Code 2009, § 40-623; Ord. No. 53-A, § 21.02, 8-16-1982; Ord. of 9-10-1987, § 21.02; Ord. No. 156, § 1(21.02), 7-9-2009)