LAKEPORT >> The Lake County Board of Supervisors approved in concept amendments to a proposed ordinance that would implement age limits on manufactured home installations.
“We think we have come up with a reasonable compromise,” Lake County Community Development Director Richard Coel said.
With the amendment, manufactured – or mobile – homes new to the county that are older than 10 years from the date of building permit application are not allowed. However, if the manufactured home has been owned by the applicant for a minimum of two years, currently resides within a mobile home park in the county’s jurisdiction and is being relocated to a parcel of land that was purchased by Aug. 1, an exception may be made — unless the mobile home was manufactured before July 1, 1976 and/or is unable to be retrofitted to meet current fire codes.
The amendment stems from a discussion the board held during its May 19 meeting, in which they directed Coel to make an exception for residents that have been working toward relocating their mobile home from a park to private property with the county’s jurisdiction. The exception will only apply to owners of older units within parks that have already started the process of relocating their home to a lot they own within county jurisdiction.
Owners in Lakeport or Clearlake would need to meet the minimum architectural standards of the zoning ordinance and fire codes for their city.
“If they are in a rural area, they are going to have to retrofit it anyway,” Coel explained. “And usually that means tearing off the roof and putting on a new one with rich venting and a whole host of things.”
“There is no sunset on this, if they already own the parcel by the time this goes into affect if they wait ten years … they can still do so and just meet this criteria,” Coel added.
A manufactured home is defined as a single-family factory-constructed housing unit built on or after June 15, 1976, that is in compliance with the standards of the United Stated Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The board reached unanimous consensus to approve the exception in concept. A public hearing will be held during a future board meeting.
“This takes necessity of an appeal process out of it and it meets the needs of the folks,” District 1 Supervisor Jim Comstock said. “It should meet all concerns that were presented.”
Contact J. W. Burch, IV at 900-2022.
