|
Council passes New Rules Governing Mobile Home Parks
By Catherine Snipe
Mobile home parks in the township will now have new zoning rules to help address quality of life issues.
An ordinance passed this week by township council creates a mobile home park overlay zone, which is a zone imposed over existing zoning districts adding new rules, regulations and permitted uses to existing laws. Those rules are in addition to, not in lieu of, existing zoning.
The township has two mobile home parks, and one, Laurelton Mobile Home Park, has been the scene of protests. Regular township council visits are made by its residents.
In part, the ordinance was prompted by Laurelton residents who frequently attend council meetings with complaints about quality of life issues such as utilities, broken pipes, maintenance and rent.
The ordinance states that the council, "wishes to ensure that existing agerestricted mobile home parks ... are permitted to be maintained and upgraded by the owners and residents of the mobile home parks in a uniform and consistent manner."
Before, it was difficult to move or replace a mobile home, because the applicant would have to first apply for a variance from the zoning office.
It's the same situation for maintenance, because, according to the ordinance, the ability of the owners of the mobile home parks to upgrade facilities, roadways, or utilities, including sewer and water infrastructure, are restricted by applicable land use ordinances.
The problem, residents said, is that many of the existing units contained within the mobile home parks are in need or repair, replacement or relocation, according to its residents and the ordinance.
In addition, the existing mobile home parks within the Township of Brick are currently not regulated. The ordinance puts an arm of enforcement in, requiring a township inspector review applications to move or demolish a mobile home.
The ordinance also sets standards for how close mobile homes can be to a neighboring home or shed.
An onsite resident manager or office will be staffed 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and an onsite office must also post a copy of the bylaws and lease provisions information at all times, according to the ordinance.
At Laurelton, ongoing issues concerning conditions there haven't changed since the council began discussing the ordinance. Instead, several dozen residents have been withholding rent and have retained an attorney.
Eviction notices were sent and a hearing was scheduled December 13 to review the evictions, all while a settlement between residents and park owner Jack Morris' management company is discussed.
| 
