Parks may be regulated

RV and mobile home parks may have to abide by a new set of regulations in 2020 if an ordinance proposed during the Dec. 5 county commission meeting is approved. The ordinance would also apply to tiny home parks.

County attorney Merinda Woody read excerpts from the document explaining why it is necessary.

“It’s purpose is to guide and regulate the development of mobile home parks and recreational vehicle parks within the county to preserve the public health, safety and welfare, and to require preparation and approval of a plan every time a mobile home park or recreational vehicle park is created or expanded,” she said.

Woody went on to quote another excerpt explaining more about the purposes behind the ordinance: “Specifically, these regulations are designed to provide for an adequately planned street system; to avoid overcrowding of the land and extreme concentration of population; to secure safety from fire, panic and other dangers; to provide for adequate water and sewage systems; to insure against erosion, water and flood damage; to facilitate an orderly system for the design, layout and use of land.”

If approved, those wishing to create a mobile home or RV park will be forced to abide by guidelines that cover lot sizes, maintenance, restrictions and other general requirements. Two or more RV sites or three or more mobile homes make up a park.

For example in section 4.4 of the ordinance under mobile home park road requirements, it states that each mobile home space shall be provided a gravel or hard surface area for parking of a minimum of two vehicles.

Regarding lot sizes, another guideline states that the minimum land area of any mobile home park shall be seven acres suitable for development.

Pertaining to recreational vehicle park general requirements, the ordinance states that the minimum area of any recreational vehicle or travel trailer park shall be five acres. 

There are a number of guidelines which must be met. Those wishing to open an RV or mobile home park must first take a preliminary plan to a planning committee for review. If all is not up to par, that person will be told to get it right. When the plan has been corrected, he/she will obtain a construction permit. Once the site work and agency approvals are completed,  the park owner/operator would be required to get an operational permit which will have to be renewed every five years.

Residents interested in the regulations are encouraged to review the 18-page proposal at the county offices in the lower level of the health department. 

“I encourage you go by the county offices; we have plenty of copies to take home. Read it and submit your comments,” said Woody, noting they will be accepting comments until the end of January. “We really want comments before the final draft.”