The intent of this chapter is to provide for manufactured home placement and park development at appropriate locations, establish developmental standards to facilitate integrating manufactured homes into an area without adversely affecting adjacent properties, and ensure safeguards for manufactured home residents. (Ord. 1576, 5-1-1989, eff. 6-15-1989)

Definitions in chapter 2 of this title shall apply except for the following terms:

DENSITY: Refers to the number of manufactured home units per acre.

LOT: The total area reserved for the placement of one manufactured home.

RECREATION AREA: Refers to an area, which includes open space, playgrounds, buildings and apparatus designed for recreational activities, established for the use of the manufactured home park residents.

SITE: The entire gross area of the manufactured home park. (Ord. 1576, 5-1-1989, eff. 6-15-1989)

The regulations concerning manufactured home park development shall not be interpreted as superseding or amending applicable federal or state standards. These regulations are intended to be supplementary. When the standards and regulations in this title differ from federal or state standards and regulations, the more restrictive shall apply. (Ord. 1576, 5-1-1989, eff. 6-15-1989)

Permitted uses in the RMO (residential manufactured home) district are listed in chapter 3 of this title. Permitted uses in manufactured home parks are:

Accessory buildings or uses incidental to any permitted residential use in connection with a principal building. No part of any park shall be used for nonresidential purposes, except for management, maintenance and direct servicing of manufactured home park residents.

Automobile parking in connection with a permitted residential use.

Manufactured homes.

Parks, playgrounds, play fields.

Signs:

One entry and one exit sign at each access drive onto public rights of way. The signs shall be no larger than two (2) square feet in surface area nor have any moving parts.

One identification sign on each major street frontage, approved as part of the final site plan. The sign shall be no larger than forty (40) square feet in surface area nor have any moving parts or flashing lights. The base of the sign shall be positioned no higher than six feet (6') from the ground and no closer than twenty feet (20') to a public right of way. (Ord. 1576, 5-1-1989, eff. 6-15-1989)

No person may construct, alter or extend any manufactured home park without necessary review and approval by the Montana department of health and environmental sciences, division of environmental sanitation, and the city building inspector. (Ord. 1576, 5-1-1989, eff. 6-15-1989)

Developers must comply with the Lewistown subdivision regulations (chapter 2, procedures for subdivision created by lease or rent) and receive city commission approval prior to proceeding with manufactured home park construction. (Ord. 1576, 5-1-1989, eff. 6-15-1989; amd. Ord. 1664, 1-3-2000)

Developers desiring to establish or extend a manufactured home park should meet or exceed the following design standards:

   (A)   Site: Manufactured home parks are limited to placement in the RMO district. The site should not be located in areas exposed to excessive dust, noise, odors or other adverse influences which might contribute toward depressing property values and create nuisance situations.

   (B)   Site Size: No minimum size for a manufactured home park shall be required.

   (C)   Lot Area: Minimum lot area should be three thousand sixty (3,060) square feet. The Montana department of health and environmental sciences or their affiliates will determine and approve lot size based on soil and water conditions whenever municipal water and sanitary sewer systems will not be extended to the manufactured home park.

   (D)   Lot Coverage: Maximum lot coverage should not exceed forty percent (40%) (including principal and accessory buildings).

   (E)   Setback Requirements: All manufactured homes and accessory buildings should maintain a ten foot (10') front, rear and side yard setback from the property line. Any accessory structures, such as attached awnings, carports, etc., shall be considered part of the manufactured home.

   (F)   Manufactured Home Stand: All manufactured homes shall be placed on a well drained, firm stand or a permanent foundation. Each stand shall be fully skirted. Manufactured home park residents must skirt their homes within sixty (60) days of occupancy.

   (G)   Building Height: Maximum height for residential buildings shall be twenty five feet (25'). All other structures may exceed this height upon special review.

   (H)   Off Street Parking: Off street parking is required on the same building site it is required to serve 1 . An additional parking space must be provided for every four (4) lots to accommodate visitors.

   (I)   Walkways: Maintained, all season walkways with a minimum width of five feet (5') shall be provided in locations where pedestrian traffic is concentrated.

   (J)   Access: Manufactured home parks must have access to a collector street. They shall be provided with safe and convenient vehicular access not only within their boundaries, but also from adjacent public streets.

Street widths shall be adequate to accommodate any anticipated parking and traffic load and shall meet the following minimum requirements:

      1.   Collector streets with two-way aisles shall be a total of twenty six feet (26'); refer to section 11-8-13 of this title for additional space required for parking.

   (K)   Recreation Area: A minimum of ten percent (10%) of the gross site size should be reserved for park and recreation development. The recreation area shall be centrally located in the manufactured home park and designed with trees, grass, benches, recreational equipment, etc.

   (L)   Landscaping: Landscaping should be provided to maintain a buffer between manufactured home parks and adjacent properties in other district classifications. A greenbelt should be planted along the perimeter of the manufactured home park where it abuts an area zoned in another district classification or a public right of way. Trees may constitute the major design element. The greenbelt must be maintained in a continuous healthy growth. (Ord. 1576, 5-1-1989, eff. 6-15-1989)

   (M)   Utilities: Utilities shall be provided as follows (the city commission may approve alternatives): (Ord. 1576, 5-1-1989, eff. 6-15-1989; amd. Ord. 1664, 1-3-2000)

      1.   Sanitary sewage and water facilities, including connections provided to individual lots, shall meet city and/or the Montana department of health and environmental sciences' codes.

      2.   Plumbing connections to each manufactured home lot shall be constructed so that all lines are protected from freezing or from creating a nuisance or health hazard.

      3.   An adequate amount of running water shall be piped into each manufactured home.

      4.   Storm drainage facilities, where necessary, shall be constructed to protect manufactured home park residents and adjacent property owners. These facilities must ensure rapid drainage and prevent water accumulation in or adjacent to the manufactured home park.

      5.   Utility lines (electricity, natural gas, telephone, etc.) must be placed underground. Meters shall be uniformly located.

      6.   Sanitary trash/garbage disposal and storage facilities shall be provided.

      7.   Adequate lighting shall be provided to facilitate safe vehicular and pedestrian movement at night and shall be effectively related to buildings, walkways, steps and trees.

      8.   All buildings and structures within a manufactured home park that will be constructed, reconstructed, repaired or relocated shall conform to the city's building codes.

   (N)   Fire Protection: The water supply system serving the manufactured home park shall comply with local fire district regulations or shall meet standards for adequate fire protection established by the national fire protection standard NFPA #501A, whichever is more restrictive. The chief of the local fire district must approve fire protection systems. (Ord. 1576, 5-1-1989, eff. 6-15-1989)

In addition to the requirements in the residential manufactured home district 1 , landowners shall comply with the following standards:

   (A)   Manufactured homes shall be placed on a well drained, firm stand or a permanent foundation. Within sixty (60) days of home occupancy, each stand shall be fully skirted.

   (B)   Exterior covering materials of garages, carports and accessory buildings shall be compatible with those of the manufactured home.

   (C)   Utilities shall be provided, wherever applicable, according to subsection 11-10-7(M) of this chapter. (Ord. 1576, 5-1-1989, eff. 6-15-1989)