LAKEPORT >> While an audit of land ownership records dominated Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, the body also returned to a proposed ordinance that would implement age limits on manufactured home installations.
If the amendment is passed, manufactured — or mobile — homes new to the county that are older than 10 years from the date of building permit application will no longer be 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.
This exception stands 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 the supervisors directed Lake County Code Enforcement Director Richard 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.
The provision becomes even more complex if property owners move to a rural area. Under certain conditions their mobile homes will have to be retrofitted, which usually means replacing roofs to have rich venting, as well as proper siding and window installations, Coel explained.
“The risk is not only to their own personal safety with these old wiring and electrical systems, but the public at large,” District 4 Supervisor Anthony Farrington said.
“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.
In the event of an appeal that the board is unable to make appropriate findings or work with the appellant, the board will be able to revise the ordinance to be more specific, Farrington said.
The board reached unanimously consensus approved the ordinance in concept during it’s July 6 meeting. A second reading of the ordinance will be held during the board’s Aug. 4 meeting.
Contact J. W. Burch, IV at 900-2022.
