Coventry City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XI
Residential Mobile Home Districts RMD
§ 255-1100 Purpose.
A.
The purpose of this article is to permit the creation of residential mobile home districts (RMD) and to establish the procedures for their creation. It is the intent of this article to regulate the location and design of RMDs in such a manner as to create neighborhoods designed for long-term occupancy, to ensure compatibility with surrounding areas and with the natural environment, and to provide safe, sanitary and attractive living conditions for occupants of mobile homes located in such parks. No mobile home park shall be created or extended in the Town of Coventry after this article is adopted except in conformance with this article.
B.
Residential mobile home district. A district limited to mobile home parks and accessory uses as permitted by this chapter, created in accordance with this chapter and based on an approved comprehensive site plan as set forth below. The minimum gross land area, excluding swamps, ponds, streams, unsuitable soils and other unusable land under single ownership, shall be 10 acres. All RMDs shall adhere to the regulations of this article and Chapter 11 of the Code of Ordinances of the Town.
§ 255-1110 Establishment of residential mobile home districts.
A.
RMDs may be established in the Town by amendment of this chapter and accompanying maps in accordance with the requirements and procedures of this article.
B.
Procedures. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter or any other provisions of the ordinances of the Town, the following procedures shall apply:
(1)
Application for amendment to the Zoning Map to create a RMD shall be made according to Article XVIII of this chapter. However, the fee for such application shall be $500 plus advertising costs. In addition to the plat requirements, a site plan, prepared by a registered architect or engineer, shall be required that, as a minimum, shows the following, together with appropriate dimensions and descriptive material as necessary:
(a)
The items in § 255-1620B(1) through (18) of this chapter;
(b)
Proposed location of riser pipes;
(c)
Refuse disposal facilities;
(d)
Location of electrical system;
(e)
Location and details of underground gas and oil systems;
(f)
Plans and specifications of all buildings constructed in the park;
(g)
Number, location, dimensions and size of all lots;
(h)
Evidence that other local, state, or federal permits have been applied for or obtained;
(i)
An impact analysis of the proposed development which shall contain detailed economic, social, physical studies of the area and a proposed population analysis. The Commission may request additional information if desired;
(j)
Type and size of home to be used in development; and
(k)
Applicable rules and regulations for the development.
§ 255-1120 Planning Commission review.
A.
All applications for a RMD shall be referred to the Commission by the Town Council. The Commission shall have 60 days to respond to the Council. This sixty-day period shall begin upon the receipt of two copies of all plans and the application in the Planning Department from the Town Clerk's Office after referral by the Council. The Commission may request an extension of this time period if additional time is required to complete the review of the proposed RMD rezoning. The Council may act if the Commission fails to respond within the allotted time.
B.
The applicant shall show to the satisfaction of the Commission that:
(1)
The granting of approval will not result in conditions inimical to the public health, safety, morals and welfare;
(2)
The granting of such approval will not substantially or permanently injure the appropriate use of property in the surrounding area or district;
(3)
The plans for such project comply with all of the requirements of this chapter; and
(4)
The plans for such project are in conformance with the Coventry Comprehensive Plan.
C.
In recommending an action to the Town Council, the Commission shall enumerate its reasons for approval or denial and any stipulations that the Commission would like imposed.
D.
After receipt of the Commission's recommendations, the Council shall hold a public hearing in accordance with Article XVIII of this chapter and shall act on the amendment within 45 days of the hearing and may attach conditions to ensure the public health, safety, morals and welfare. Approval of the amendment requires that the final development shall conform to the plans as approved by the Council. Any changes to the plan will require a resubmittal of the application for the rezoning following all procedures of this article.
E.
The approved site plan with any conditions stipulated in the rezoning shall be recorded in the Town Clerk's Office within 14 days of the Zoning Approval. The Town Planner and Town Engineer shall review the site plan for conformity with the approved rezoning and shall certify to the Town Clerk the conformance of the plan prior to its recording. If the plan does not conform to the approved rezoning, it shall not be recorded and the applicant shall have 14 days to correct the plan and resubmit for review and recording.
F.
There shall be written on the plan the following note: "Failure to act on this rezoning in one year shall cause this plan to become null and void."
§ 255-1130 Permitted uses.
A.
In a RMD, the following uses shall be permitted:
(2)
Accessory uses. Uses directly accessory to a mobile home including parking areas, carport, patios and semienclosed outdoor living areas not intended for overnight occupancy. Service buildings as required in § 255-1150, recreation areas and facilities for the exclusive use of occupants of the mobile home park and as further provided in this section; offices intended for management and/or service to the mobile home park; and central laundry facilities designed for residents.
(3)
Garages shall not be allowed. The addition to or expansion of a mobile home so as to make it a permanent structure shall not be allowed.
B.
Site standards.
(1)
Lot coverage. Maximum lot coverage by a mobile home in an individual mobile home lot shall not exceed 20% of the gross area of the lot.
(2)
Width and depth. For portions of the tract used for general vehicular entrances and exits only, the lot width shall be a minimum of 50 feet; for portions containing mobile home lots and buildings open generally to occupants, the width of the lot shall be a minimum of 250 feet. The ratio of width to depth shall not exceed one to five.
(3)
Landscaping and buffering. Along all exterior property lines of a mobile home park, a landscaped buffer strip shall be maintained. Such buffer strip shall be no less than 100 feet wide along all property lines. Such buffer strip shall be planted, screened, or otherwise maintained in a natural condition in order to provide year-round visual obstruction of the mobile home lots from abutting land and streets. The provisions of Article XVII shall be met for all landscaping in a mobile home park. Such buffer strip may be used for recreation of a nonintensive character; provided, however, that no structure be located thereon.
(4)
Recreation and open space. At least 10% of the gross land area of the mobile home park shall be reserved for recreational and open space uses. Such recreation and open space shall be located outside the required buffer strip. However, this figure is in addition to any other open areas required by yard provisions or other sections of this chapter. Recreation areas shall be so located as to be free of traffic hazards and should, where the topography permits, be centrally located.
(5)
Access. All mobile home parks shall have a minimum lot frontage of 50 feet on a public street.
(6)
All mobile homes shall be a minimum distance of 75 feet from any park boundary line abutting a public street.
C.
Lot requirements. Individual mobile home lots in a RMD shall conform to the following requirements:
(1)
Lot size. Each individual mobile home lot shall contain a minimum area of 6,000 square feet. Lot size shall be increased by five square feet for each square foot that the mobile home and accessory buildings exceed the allowable size of 1,200 square feet.
(2)
Lot width. The minimum lot width shall be 50 feet.
(3)
Required separation between mobile homes. Mobile homes shall be separated from each other and from other buildings and structure by at least 30 feet. Any accessory structure which has a horizontal area exceeding 25 square feet, is attached to a mobile home or located within 10 feet of its window, and has an opaque top or roof that is higher than the nearest window shall, for purposes of all separation requirements, be considered to be part of the mobile home.
(4)
Setbacks. No mobile home shall be located closer than 15 feet to a lot line abutting an internal street, common parking area or other common areas.
(5)
Frontage. Each mobile home lot shall have frontage on an internal street.
D.
Streets. All streets shall be constructed in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 11 of the Code of Ordinances of the Town. Storm drainage plans must be provided and approved by the Town Engineer and shall result in no net increase of runoff.
E.
Density requirements.
§ 255-1140 Occupancy.
A.
No lot shall be rented for residential use in a RMD except for periods of 30 days or more, and no mobile home shall be admitted to any park unless it can be demonstrated that it meets the requirements of the BOCA Basic Building Code, as amended.
§ 255-1150 Service building.
All mobile home parks shall be provided with a service building consolidating all sanitary, laundry, management and other service facilities. The floor area of such service building shall not exceed 2,500 square feet.
§ 255-1160 Sale of mobile homes.
No mobile home shall be sold in a RMD unless it is located on a mobile home stand and connected to pertinent utilities.
§ 255-1170 Change of lot size.
The size of mobile homes in an approved park shall not be changed to a larger home unless the size of the mobile home lot is increased according to § 255-1130B(2). Prior to any change in a RMD, the proposed changes shall be submitted to the Commission for review. The Commission may approve the changes if they adhere to this chapter.