Richmond Municipal Code Ch. 7.76 Mobilehome Parks

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Prior ordinance history: Ordinance No. 1427.

This chapter is supplemental to the provisions set forth in Part 2.1 (Mobilehome Parks Act) of Division 13 of the California Health and Safety Code; and in Chapter 5 of Title 25 of the California Administrative Code.

No mobilehome park shall be constructed, established or maintained within the city unless a conditional use permit has been granted therefor by the planning commission and the granting of such permit has been approved by at least five votes of the members of the city council within 30 days from the date the planning commission granted such permit. In approving such permit, the council shall have the authority to delete or modify any condition imposed by the commission or impose any additional condition it deems necessary to protect the best interests of the neighboring property or neighborhood and to carry out the purposes of the zoning ordinance and the Richmond General Plan. The procedure for processing applications shall be the same as set forth in Section 15.04.190, paragraph C of the Municipal Code except that

(a) A decision of the commission to grant a conditional use permit shall only be effective after the council has also approved said permit as set forth above; and

(b) The appeal procedure set forth in subparagraphs 4 and 8 of Paragraph C of Section 15.04.190 shall not apply when the planning commission grants a conditional use permit.

In addition to such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the planning commission in the conditional use permit, every mobilehome park shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter.

The license fee to be paid by a person seeking a permit for the operation of a mobilehome park in the city for each mobilehome lot therein shall be paid in accordance with Chapter 7.04 of this article or any amendment or revision thereof hereafter ordained. The annual renewal fee for each mobilehome lot therein shall be paid in accordance with Chapter 7.04 of this article or any amendment or revision thereof hereafter ordained.

(Amended by Ordinance No. 13-03 N.S.)

All of the definitions in Sections 5090 and 5204 of Title 25 and in said Part 2.1 cited in Section 7.76.010 shall be applicable to this chapter, as well as certain words and phrases used herein which are defined as follows:

(a) "Accessway" means any paved portion of a lot used or designed to be used as an entry for automobiles to and from a vehicle parking space on said lot and to and from either a mobilehome park driveway or a city street.

(b) "Driveway" means any roadway used or designed to be used for the general circulation of traffic within the mobilehome park.

(c) "Landscaping" means the treatment and maintenance of an area or areas within a mobilehome park with shrubs, trees, lawns or other ground cover, plants and flowers, and the construction or placement of decorative structures or objects so as to present an attractive and well-kept appearance.

(d) "Lot" means an individual mobilehome lot within a mobilehome park.

(e) "Park" means a mobilehome park.

(a) The provisions of this chapter shall be administered by the director of planning of the city, except that such provisions shall be enforced by the director of public works of the city.

(b) All departments, officials and public employees of the city vested with the duty or authority to issue permits shall conform to the provisions of this chapter and shall issue no permit or license for use, buildings or purposes in conflict with the provisions of this chapter, and any such permit or license issued in conflict with the provisions of this chapter shall be null and void.

(c) Any use of a mobilehome park which deviates from or violates any of the provisions of this chapter shall be termed an illegal occupancy, and any person or persons responsible therefor shall be subject to the penalties provided in the Richmond Municipal Code.

(d) A permit to construct within a park shall be obtained in the manner specified in Chapter 5 Title 25, California Administrative Code. Such a permit to construct, or an application therefor, is subject to the expiration provisions contained in said Chapter 5.

Plans for the park shall be submitted with the application for a conditional use permit for such park, and shall be subject to review and change upon recommendation of the planning commission.

(a) The density of a park shall be compatible with the Richmond General Plan density for the area proposed for a park development, as determined by the planning commission, and shall be based on a correlation of the population which would normally be expected to occur with conventional residential development.

(b) The average density shall not exceed 7.0 mobilehome units per gross acre or the present dwelling unit density, whichever is lower, notwithstanding other limitations regarding mobilehome unit density. The present dwelling unit density shall be determined by calculating the average number of dwelling units per gross acre for residentially developed properties (including other mobilehome parks) within 2,640 feet (one-half mile) of the proposed park. If fewer than 60 percent of those properties are so developed, the 7.0 mobilehome units per gross acre shall apply.

(c) Densities or open space from outside the park boundary shall not be transferable to the park.

Each park shall have 50 or more lots. No park shall include less than 50 acres of contiguous land unless the planning commission, in considering the use permit application, makes a specific finding that a parcel of less than 50 acres is suitable as a park by virtue of its topographic or landscaping features or because of the outstanding character and quality of the park design. In no case shall less than 25 acres be permitted to become a park.

No lot shall be located closer to any exterior park boundary than a distance equal to the minimum front yard required in the zoning ordinance (Chapter 14.04 R.M.C.) for the zone in which the park is located. In no case shall this distance be less than fifteen feet.

Park driveways shall be provided in such a pattern as to provide convenient traffic circulation within the park. All such improvements shall be the responsibility of the park owner/operator. They shall be built to the following standards:

(a) Entrances. All entrances of a park shall be approved by the planning commission as either meeting or being equivalent to the specific standards outlined below or being equivalent to these standards with due consideration to topographic features and the overall design concept of the proposed park. The specific standards are as follows:

(1) Each entrance designed for use by park residents and guests shall consist of a 20-foot travel lane for ingress and another 20-foot lane for egress. In addition, for the main entrance these lanes shall be separated by a landscaped island of a minimum of ten feet in width.

(2) No parking shall be permitted in said lanes, and no lots shall be permitted to front onto said lanes within a distance of 85 feet from the property line.

(3) Emergency entrances shall be subject to approval by the director of public works.

(b) Collector Driveway Width. Driveways giving direct access to more than 20 lots shall be deemed collector driveways and shall be 40 feet wide, curb to curb, with parking allowed on both sides or 32 feet wide, curb to curb, with parking allowed on one side.

(c) Service Driveway Width. Driveways giving direct access to 20 or less lots shall be deemed service driveways and shall be a minimum of 25 feet, curb to curb, and shall not exceed 450 feet in length. Parking shall not be permitted on a driveway which is the minimum 25 feet in width.

(d) Curbs. There shall be portland cement concrete curbs on each side of the driveways in accordance with standards established by the director of public works.

(e) Paving. All park driveways shall be paved, and such paving shall be subject to approval by the director of public works.

(f) Connection to adjacent parcels. When required by the planning commission, driveways and walkway areas shall be designed to allow normal neighborhood circulation patterns to and from adjacent parcels.

(g) Driveway Names. All driveway names shall be approved by the director of public works.

(h) Additional Parking. Off-street parking in addition to the amount specified in Section 7.76.250 for each lot shall be provided at appropriate locations throughout the park but not further than 150 feet from any lot for which it is intended to serve as guest parking. Such parking facilities shall be provided at a ratio of one parking space for every six (or fraction thereof) lots. The dimensions for the parking stalls and access aisles shall be as approved by the Department of public works.

Walkways shall be incorporated into the design wherever possible to provide meandering, well-landscaped methods pedestrian circulation which originate near individual lots or at the ends of service courts and leads to the common recreation area and to adjacent public streets. If it is necessary for walkways to intersect with any collector or service driveways or alleys used by vehicles, there shall be provided a well-designed crossing; however, such intersections shall be kept to a minimum. All such walkways shall be constructed with portland cement concrete or brick as approved by the Department of public works.

All pleasure boats and travel trailers, other than self-propelled recreational vehicles or truck-mounted camp cars, shall be stored in an area set aside for such storage on the approved plans. Such area shall be screened from view and shall provide a minimum of one boat or trailer space not less than ten feet by 20 feet for each five (or fraction thereof) lots in the park.

The following recreation area provisions shall apply:

(a) Location. A central recreation area shall be established and maintained pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. The planning commission may permit decentralization of the recreation area and its facilities in accordance with principles of good planning, provided that the total recreation area meets the minimum size stated in subsections (b) and (c) below.

(b) Recreation Area Ratios. The size of the recreation area shall be established in accordance with the ratios outlined below for either an adult park or a family park. For purposes of this subsection, an "adult park" is defined as a park that does not permit any lot to be occupied for more than 12 months in any consecutive five-year period by any person or persons younger than 18 years of age and a family park is any park other than an adult park as defined herein.

(1) Adult Parks. The size of the recreation area shall be established at least at a ratio of 265 square feet per lot for the first 100 lots plus one hundred square feet for each additional lot. For each 105 lots or major fraction thereof, each park shall provide usable recreation area of at least 27,000 square feet.

(2) Family Parks. The size of the recreation area shall be established at least at a ratio of 550 square feet per lot for the first 100 lots plus 250 square feet for each additional lot. For each 105 lots or major fraction thereof, each park shall provide usable recreation area of at least 55,000 square feet.

(c) Usability Qualifications. A recreation area shall be sufficiently level to be usable for recreation activities as determined by the recreation and parks department. Such areas shall qualify fully as usable recreation areas provided the shortest dimension across the open space is not less than 20 feet. Areas with lesser dimensions may be granted no more than a 20 percent credit to the usable recreation area requirements. Open space within ten feet of the perimeter of the site area shall not be included within the definition of usable recreation area.

(d) Facilities. The facilities provided in the recreation area may include community club houses, swimming pools, shuffle board courts and similar accommodations.

The following landscaping provisions shall apply:

(a) Landscape Plan Required. A detailed landscape plan shall be submitted with each use permit application.

(b) Open Areas. All open areas except driveways, accessways, parking areas, walkways, utility areas, improved decks, patios or porches shall be maintained with landscaping.

(c) Frontage Tree Planting. Trees shall be planted along street or driveway frontage as may be required by the planning commission upon recommendation of the director of recreation and parks.

(d) Watering System. The planning commission may require the installation of a sprinkling system to irrigate the landscaping.

(e) Planting in Perimeter Setback Areas. The setback areas, as specified in Section 7.76.100, shall be developed and maintained as a planted strip. Said setback area shall be devoid of all other uses except for a walkway, fence, wall or sign which is authorized under Sections 7.76.180 and 7.76.190 respectively. Said planting shall include trees not less than a number determined by dividing the number 25 into the number of lineal feet of the frontage of the setback area to be planted. Said trees may be planted in groups. An irrigation system shall be included within the setback area, and other assurances given prior to development of the park that the planting and landscaping shall be adequately maintained.

Adequate lighting, as determined by the director of public works, shall be provided along driveways, walkways and other pedestrian or vehicular ways.

(a) Luminaries. Driveway lighting shall be accomplished by installation of luminaries that will provide a lighting pattern acceptable to the director of public works.

(b) Interference with Trees and Accessways. Wherever existing trees or other plants are to be preserved adjacent to any driveway right-of-way, luminaries shall be carefully located in such a manner as to receive minimum interference from and be clear of such trees, plants or accessways.

(a) Walls, fences or other forms of enclosure shall be erected along the exterior boundaries or within the setback area of each park as may be required by the planning commission. The height, construction and type of material for such perimeter enclosures shall be as specified by the planning commission in the conditional use permit. Fences or walls may be permitted in the front setback area when all of the following conditions are met:

(1) Construction Materials. The construction is of masonry or other materials satisfactory to the planning commission;

(2) Setbacks. The fence or wall maintains an average setback of ten feet from the street property line and does not come closer than five feet to the street property line;

(3) Landscaping. The area between the fence or wall and the property line is well landscaped and maintained;

(4) Height. The fence may be permitted at any height that does not exceed eight feet.

(b) Notwithstanding the stipulation above, any fence and landscaping material shall be limited in height at intersections of streets, driveways and pedestrian walkways to that deemed compatible with pedestrian and traffic safety by the director of public works.

Adequate signs and markings indicating directions, parking areas, recreation areas and driveway names shall be established and maintained in the park. Such signs shall not exceed six square feet in area. Each lot shall be plainly marked and numbered for identification. Residential signs (nameplates) and business identification signs may be authorized by the sign review committee in accordance with the standards specified in Chapter 15.06 of the Richmond Municipal Code.

(a) Lots shall average not less than 3,150 square feet in area, and no lot shall be smaller than 2,700 square feet.

(b) Each lot should be of sufficient size to accommodate 200 square feet of patio area with a minimum dimension of ten feet, the yard requirements specified in Section 7.76.240 and a mobilehome 60 feet in length.

Each lot shall have an average width of not less than 45 feet.

Each lot shall abut directly upon a park driveway for a minimum distance of 30 feet.

The following lot service facilities provisions shall apply:

(a) Utilities. All utility distribution facilities, including television antenna service lines, shall be placed underground. Transformers, terminal boxes, meter cabinets, pedestals, concealed ducts and other facilities necessary appurtenant to such underground facilities may be placed above ground.

(b) Community Television Antenna. Individual rooftop or outdoor television antennas shall not be permitted. One television antenna for community service may be situated within the park.

The following yard and access requirements apply to all lots:

(a) Yard Requirements, General. Each lot shall have a front yard of not less than ten feet and a side and rear yard of not less than three feet. The front yard so required shall not be used for vehicle parking, except such portion thereof as is devoted to an accessway. There shall be a minimum distance of 15 feet between mobilehomes.

(b) Access. When used for access to a parking facility, a side yard shall be wide enough for a ten-foot-wide unobstructed accessway. All such accessways shall be paved with portland cement or asphaltic concrete.

The following structures may be erected or projected into any required yard of a park lot:

(a) Eaves and stairways not to exceed one foot;

(b) Landscape elements including trees, shrubs and other plants, and provided that such landscape features do not hinder the movement of the mobilehome in or out of its space;

(c) Mobilehome hitches;

(d) Necessary appurtenances for utility services.

(a) Each lot shall have thereon a paved space suitable and available for automobile parking with space for at least two automobiles. The portion of the paved space for each automobile shall be not less than ten feet wide and 20 feet long and shall not be located within any required side yard.

(b) Tandem parking will be allowed for the second required space but shall not encroach into the driveway or walkway areas. No encroachment of more than 24 inches by porches, steps, poles or other structural members shall be permitted into the required paved space for vehicle parking. In no case, however, shall any such structural member reduce the paved parking and access space for vehicles to less than eight feet wide.

To enhance the residential character of the park and minimize the adverse effects on surrounding properties, the following requirements shall apply to all lots:

(a) Mobilehome Hitches. All mobilehome hitches when readily removable shall be removed once a mobilehome is in place. Those not detachable shall be screened by landscaping or other material satisfactory to the planning director.

(b) Screening Under Mobilehomes. All open area under a mobilehome shall be enclosed by approved skirts or by a combination of skirts and grading, except for minimum openings required for cross-ventilation.

(c) Level Yard Space. Individual lots shall be constructed to provide a level patio and yard surface a minimum of 200 square feet in area and ten feet wide. Said patio and yard area may extend across the rear of a mobilehome and/or along the side which is designed for patio living. Said surface shall be even with or not more than 24 inches below the finished floor level of a mobilehome and no less than that required to comply with minimum state requirements for cross-ventilation. The above patio requirements shall not preclude the construction of a porch, if so desired by the developer or a mobilehome resident.

(d) Height Control Adjacent to Other Residential Areas. In parks adjacent to residential areas, the following shall apply:

(1) The utility island sewer connection shall be set as low as possible consistent with state law.

(2) Whenever possible and consistent with proper drainage and minimum state cross-ventilation requirements, a mobilehome shall be lowered by grading and excavating underneath said home and adequate nonmechanical drainage shall be provided.

(e) Surfacing. The surfacing of accessways, walkways, patio areas and the mobilehome pad shall be as follows:

(1) Accessways shall be paved as approved by the director of public works.

(2) Walkways and patio areas shall be portland cement concrete or brick, as approved by the city.

(3) The mobilehome pad shall be surfaced with any dust-free substance over a base adequate to support the foundation of the mobilehome.

(f) Landscaping. All lots shall be landscaped and maintained either by the owner/operator or the mobilehome resident.

In addition to other applicable laws as cited in Section 7.76.010, all parks shall be subject to all applicable regulations, including watercourse regulations, sewer service charges, grading and drainage regulations, as specified in Chapters 12.08, 12.20 and 12.44 and Section 15.08.260, respectively, of the Richmond Municipal Code.

(Source: Ordinance No. 22-78 N.S.)