Mitchelville City Zoning Code

The R-4 District is intended to provide for certain medium density residential areas of the City, which by reason of their design and location, are suitable for mobile home development and which are compatible with surrounding residential areas. For this section only, the term “park” shall refer to the entire mobile home park area and the term “lot” shall refer to an individual mobile home stall rented within the park.

1.   Principal Permitted Uses. Mobile home parks, in accordance with regulations of the State and minimum requirements contained herein, but not including mobile home sales and display areas. No part of any park shall be used for nonresidential purposes except such uses that are required for the direct servicing and well-being of park residents, such as a community building, and for the management and maintenance of the park. This shall in no way prohibit the sale by a resident owner of a mobile home located on a mobile home stand and connected to the pertinent utilities.

2.   Accessory Uses.

   A.   Accessory uses may include common facility service buildings which provide laundry facilities, accessory supplies, vending machines, etc.; also park management buildings, maintenance buildings, community buildings, and other uses of a similar nature. All such buildings shall be located within the central “park” area, shall be restricted to the use of the park occupants and shall be subject to approval of the Council.

   B.   Signs in accordance with Chapter 165 of this Code of Ordinances.

3.   Plan Submittal. Each petition for a change to the R-4 zoning classification shall be accompanied by a sketch plan. The sketch plan shall show each mobile home space, the water, electrical and sewer lines serving each mobile home space, the location of garbage receptacles, water hydrants, service buildings, driveways, walkways, recreation areas, playgrounds, required yards, existing and proposed grading, parking facilities, storm shelter, lighting, landscaping, and the location of existing trees, buildings or other significant features. Prior to development a site plan must be submitted. The site plan will be considered by the Commission and the Council, who may approve or disapprove the plan or require such changes thereto as deemed necessary. The site plan shall be accompanied by a covenant to run with the land, in favor of the City and all persons having a possessory interest in any portion of the mobile home park, that the owner or owners of the park or their successors in interest will maintain all interior streets, parking areas, sidewalks and plantings in compliance with City ordinances and the site plan as approved by the Council, which covenant shall be recorded in the office of the Polk County Recorder, at park owner’s expense.

4.   Bulk Requirements.

   A.   Minimum Park Area. A proposed mobile home park shall have a minimum area of five acres.

   B.   Maximum Park Density. The maximum density allowed for the gross development area shall be seven mobile home units per gross acre.

   C.   Park Setbacks. A mobile home park shall have a perimeter yard setback of not less than 35 feet. No part or any mobile home lot shall be located in the perimeter setback. In addition, no part of any mobile home lot shall be located closer than 75 feet to any public street upon which the park adjoins. Interior park streets may be located within the setback areas.

   D.   Minimum Lot Area. Each individual mobile home lot shall contain not less than 5,000 square feet in area with a minimum depth of 100 feet.

   E.   Front Yard. Each lot shall have a front yard not less than 20 feet in depth measured from the edge of the surfaced private street to the closest point of the lower face of the mobile home.

   F.   Side Yard. Side yards of each individual mobile home lot shall not be less than seven feet for mobile homes.

   G.   Rear Yard. Rear yards of each individual mobile home lot shall not be less than 10 feet for mobile homes.

   H.   Open Space. A minimum of 250 square feet for each lot shall be provided for one or more open spaces which shall be easily accessible to all park residents. The required yards and setbacks (including the perimeter setback) shall not be computed as part of the required open space area. An open space is defined as land which is specifically set aside for leisure or recreational uses.

   I.   Height Regulations. Maximum height of 20 feet for mobile or modular homes; 35 feet for service buildings, park offices, maintenance buildings, community buildings, and storm shelters; 14 feet for accessory buildings such as garages.

   J.   Accessory Buildings. Maximum area for accessory garage - 1,000 square feet; maximum area for yard shed - 160 square feet.

 

5.   Parking. A minimum of two off-street car spaces directly accessible to the private street for each mobile home lot shall be provided. Garage stalls shall not count toward the minimum off-street parking requirements. These required parking spaces, or parking areas, shall be so located as to provide convenient access to the mobile homes but shall not exceed a distance of 200 feet from the mobile home that it is intended to serve. All parking areas shall be constructed with a concrete or asphalt concrete surface. Parking stalls shall be a minimum of 9 1/2 feet in width by 20 feet in length.

6.   Streets. The entrance road connecting the park streets with a public street shall have a minimum road pavement width of 31 feet, measured back to back of curbs. All interior streets shall be not less than 26 feet in width, measured back to back of curbs. All streets shall be constructed in accordance with appropriate ordinances and specifications of the City.

7.   Anchoring and Skirting.

   A.   Tie-downs or anchors shall be provided on every mobile home stand. Each tie-down or anchor must be able to sustain a minimum tensile strength of 2,800 pounds.

   B.   Skirting of a permanent type material and construction shall be installed within 90 days to enclose the open space between the bottom of a mobile home floor and the grade level of the mobile home stand. This skirting shall be maintained in an attractive manner consistent with the exterior of the mobile home and to preserve the appearance of the mobile home park.

8.   Utilities. Sewer and water facilities shall be provided for each mobile home lot in accordance with the requirements of the Iowa State Department of Health. All units shall be individually metered in accordance with City Regulations. All mobile home developments must be connected to the municipal sanitary sewer system and the municipal water system. All electrical and telephone lines shall be placed underground. All gas lines shall be black steel, 120#. Each unit shall have an accessible water shut off valve as approved by the City Water Department.

9.   Storm Shelters. Mobile homes are extremely vulnerable to tornadoes and other high wind conditions. The greatest number of casualties in tornadoes generally come from mobile home developments. This is primarily due to the fact that the mobile home is usually not anchored to as firm of a foundation as a regularly constructed building and cannot take the impact of the extremely high winds and the accompanying flying debris. Tie-downs do not greatly increase the stability in extremely high wind or tornado type conditions, though may be fully adequate for lesser wind and thunderstorm conditions. Another concern in mobile home developments is the closeness of the units which causes additional damage. When one home is destroyed by the winds, the debris is forced into the next subsequent unit and thereby weakening them in a domino type effect, increasing both the loss to property and the residents. Every mobile home park of 10 or more lots which is constructed after September 1, 2003, shall be provided with above or below-grade storm shelters that conform to the following requirements:

   A.   A minimum floor area of 12 square feet shall be provided for each lot located in the mobile home park.

   B.   Shelters shall be centrally located to provide a minimum travel distance of not more than 600 feet from any mobile home space. It may be necessary to provide more than one shelter.

   C.   Shelters shall not be located in flood prone areas.

   D.   Shelters shall be designed and constructed to meet all applicable requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

   E.   Shelters shall be designed by a licensed structural engineer or architect and built in accordance with plans sealed by said structural engineer or architect.

   F.   A shelter may be utilized for other purposes which are allowed as accessory uses in this district; with the exception that the required minimum floor area shall not be infringed, nor shall the function of the structure as a storm shelter be limited in any way.

   G.   Shelters shall remain accessible at all hours.

   H.   For any addition of 10 or more lots to any existing mobile home park, a storm shelter which complies with the general requirements of this section shall be provided to serve such additional lots. For any addition of fewer than 10 lots to an existing mobile home park which otherwise complies with the requirements of this section, there is no requirement that an additional shelter be provided to serve such additional lots. Provided, however, when two or more such additions occur which result in a cumulative addition of 10 or more lots, a storm shelter shall be provided to serve such additional lots.