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INTRODUCED BY Consent
PROPOSED BY Buildings and Code
DATE 7 -20 -89
ORDINANCE NO. 89 -78
AN ORDINANCE SETTING FORTH RULES AND REGULATIONS
FOR THE INSTALLATION OF MOBILE HOMES ON BUILDING
SITES, ESTABLISHING AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE
FOR THE ISSUANCE OF PERMITS AND PROVIDING FOR
INSPECTION THEREOF.
WHEREAS, State of Washington Administrative Order 82.37 provides for the
local jurisdiction to inspect mobile home installations and to enforce the
installation standards in accordance with RCW 43.22.350 and 43.22.440, and in
accordance with Article I, Section 1.10 of the Home Rule Charter of Whatcom
County;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL DOES ORDAIN:
SECTION I. PURPOSE
This ordinance is enacted as an exercise of the police power of the county
for the benefit of the public at large. It is not intended to create a special
relationship with any individual, or individuals, nor to identify and protect
any particular class of persons.
The purpose of this ordinance is to provide minimum standards to safeguard
life or limb, health or property, and public welfare, by regulating and
controlling the installation of mobile homes on building sites within the county.
It is not the intent of this ordinance to impose liability upon the county
for failure to perform any discretionary act. Rather, it is the intent of this
ordinance to place the obligation of complying with its requirements upon the
installer. Nothing contained in this ordinance shall be construed to relieve
from or to lessen the responsibility or liability of any person for injury or
damage to persons or property caused by or resulting from any defect of any
nature in any mobile home installation work performed by said person or in any
mobile home installation equipment owned, controlled, operated or used by him;
nor shall Whatcom County, or any officer, agent, or employee thereof incur or
ORDINANCE - 1 -
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be held as assuming any liability by reason or in consequence of any permission,
certificate of inspection, inspection or approval authorized herein, or issued
or given as herein provided, or by reasons or consequence of any things done or
acts performed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
SECTION II. SCOPE
This ordinance set forth rules and regulations to regulate and control the
installation of mobile homes on building sites, establishes an administrative
procedure for the issuance of permits and provides for the inspection of mobile
home installations.
SECTION III. DEFINITIONS.
ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY is the Department of Public Works, Division of
Buildings and Code.
BUILDING OFFICIAL is the Director of Public Works.
BUILDING SITE is any site proposed for the location of a mobile home
including sites within mobile home parks.
HUD is the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.
INSTALLER shall either be the owner, a licensed contractor or a licensed
mobile home dealer.
MOBILE HOME means a structure designed and built to comply with the
Washington State Department of Labor and Industries rules and regulations for
mobile homes and commercial coaches.
SECTION IV. GENERAL INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS.
Mobile homes installed on building sites shall be installed in accordance
24 with the provisions of this ordinance and all there applicable local, state, and
25 federal codes, ordinances and statutes.
26 1. A HUD labeled mobile home shall be installed in compliance with the
27 mobile home manufacturer's installation recommendations. The recommendations
28 must be approved by HUD. The manufacturer or dealer shall send two copies of
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its approved installation recommendations to the purchaser of the mobile home.
30 The copies of its approved installation recommendations to the purchaser of the
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mobile home. The copies shall submitted with the building permit application.
2. To the extent that the installation of the mobile home is not covered
by a manufacturers, engineers or architects recommendations, the mobile home
installation shall comply with installation requirements of Sections VIII, IX,
X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV of this ordinance.
3. No person, firm, partnership, corporation, or other entity may install
a mobile home unless he, she, or it owns the mobile home, is a licensed mobile
home dealer, or is a contractor registered under Chapter 18.27. RCW.
4. In those areas that (a) recognized as flood plains by the Washington
State Department of Ecology or the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or (b)
hazardous because of the probability of earthquakes, ground slides, avalanches,
or high winds, the Building Official may set requirements that are necessary to
lessen the hazards. Mobile homes not labeled by HUD or where installed on sites
which are sloping or have drainage or are in a floodplain shall be installed in
accordance with installation recommendations, provided by a professional engineer
or architect licensed in the State of Washington.
SECTION V. PERMITS REQUIRED.
No person, firm or corporation shall install or cause to be installed any
mobile home on a building site without having first obtained a building permit
and a mobile home installation attachment thereto form the administrative
authority. No mobile home dealer shall deliver a mobile home to a building site
until that dealer has verified that the installer has obtained the necessary
installation permits.
SECTION VI. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.
In addition to the building permit application and issuance regulations
of WCC 15.04, the following shall apply to mobile home installations. . .
1. A separate application shall be required for each mobile home
installation. The application shall be made upon forms provided by the
administrative authority and shall be accompanied by the permit fee established
herein.
ORDINANCE - 3 -
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1 2. Each application shall be accompanied by a plot plan drawn to scale
2 with detail sufficient to show that the installation will meet siting
3 requirements of all applicable state and local regulations.
4 3. Applications for mobile homes to be installed on building sites other
5 than sites within a mobile home park shall also be accompanied by two sets of
6 foundation plans for a permanent foundation.
7 SECTION VII. INSPECTION.
8 Approved installation specifications as provided by the manufacturer or
9 a licensed engineer or architect shall be- available at the site at the time of
10 inspection of the installation. In the event that no approved installation
11 specifications are available or the approved specifications as provided above
12 do not cover all the installation requirements of this ordinance then the total
13. installation of the portions thereof not covered by the approved specifications
14 shall comply with the appropriate provisions of Sections V11I, IX, X, XI, XII,
15 XIII, XIV of this ordinance.
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1. On building sites, other than those in mobile home parks, the
installer of the mobile home shall request a footing inspection after the
placement of the footing forms and prior to pouring or placing the footings, and
a final inspection after all aspects of the installation other than the
foundation facia or "skirting" has been completed. For mobile home park
installations, the installer shall request a final inspection after all aspects
of the installation, other than the foundation facia or "skirting" has been
completed. All requests for inspection shall be made one working day before such
24 inspection is desired.
25 2. The final installation inspection shall be made within five business
26 days after a request for final inspection is received. If the inspection is not
27 completed within five business days, the tenant or owner may occupy the mobile
28 home at his or her own risk. Occupancy before inspection does not imply
29 approval.
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3. After final inspection, the administrative authority shall approve the
installation of the mobile home, and allow the mobile home to be occupied if the
installation complies with the installation requirements of this ordinance and
the conditions of the building permit under which it is installed.
4. If the installation does not comply with the installation requirements
of this chapter and the conditions of the installation permit, the local
enforcement agency shall provide the installer with a list of corrections that
the installer must make. The list of corrections shall state a date by which
the corrections must be completed. If the items that require correction do not
endanger the health or safety of the occupants, or substantially affect the
habitability of the mobile home, the local enforcement agency may permit the
owner of the mobile home to occupy it.
SECTION VIII. BUILDING SITE PREPARATION.
A mobile home may not be installed on a building site unless the ground
at the site has adequate compaction and load bearing ability to meet the support
requirements of Section IX of this ordinance or, if the building site is in a
mobile home nark, the park owner must insure that the ground on which the mobile
home is to be installed has been improved as necessary to provide a proper base
for the mobile home and that the area beneath the mobile home has adequate
drainage.
SECTION IX. FOUNDATION SYSTEM FOOTINGS.
1. Footings shall be constructed of:
a. Solid concrete or an approved alternate at least 3 - 1/2 inches
by 16 inches square; or
b, two 8 inch by 16 inch by 4 inch solid concrete blocks that are laid
with their joint parallel to the main frame longitudinal members.
2. Footings shall be:
a. Evenly bedded and level;
b. placed on firm, undisturbed or compacted soil that is free of
organic material;
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C. centered in a line under the main frame longitudinal members on
sides of the mobile home; and
d. spaced not more than eight feet apart and no more than two feet
the ends of the main frame. The Building Official may require a closer
ng, depending on the load bearing capacity of the soil.
3. A mobile home with more than one section must have center line
locking at end walls and at other points of connection of the sections of the
obile home that are ridgebeam bearing support. Blocking is also required at
oth ends of a door opening that is six feet or more wide in an exterior wall.
4. If a mobile home requires footings on its exterior perimeter, as
pecified by the installation recommendations or required by the building
fficial, the footings shall be installed below the frost line. Footings from
he main frame longitudinal members must be recessed only if frost heave is
ikely to occur.
5. Footings shall be constructed so that 75 percent of the area under the
le home has at least 18 inches clearance between the bottom of the main
sis members'. and the ground level. The area beneath the furnace cross -overs
fireplaces must always have at least 18 inches clearance. At no point under
mobile home may clearance be less then 12 inches.
SECTION X. FOUNDATION SYSTEM PIERS.
The installer must build and position piers and load bearing supports or
ices to distribute the required load evenly. The installer must use
nufactured piers or load bearing supports or devices that are listed or
proved for the intended use or may construct piers that comply with the
llowing requirements. All blocks must be concrete blocks.
1. A pier may be made of a single stack of 8" x 16" blocks if the blocks
e not stacked more than three blocks high. A pier made of a single stack of
ocks shall be installed at a right angle to the main frame longitudinal members
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and shall be capped with no more than two 2" x 8" x 16" wood blocks or one 4"
x 8" x 16" concrete block.
2. A pier may be made of a double stack of 8" x 8" x 10" blocks if the
blocks are not stacked more than five blocks high. Each row of blocks in such
a pier shall be stacked at right angels to the abutting rows of blocks. A wood
block must be of hem -fir, douglas fir, or spruce pine fir. The pier shall be
capped by with two 2" x 8" x 16" wood or concrete blocks. The pier shall be
installed so that the joint between the cap block is at right angle to the main
frame longitudinal members.
3. A pier may be made with more than five rows of blocks if the stacked
blocks are filled with 2,000 psi concrete or mortar. A licensed architect or
professional engineer may approve a foundation system that includes a pier that
is higher than 72 inches (nine blocks high) or in which more than 20 percent of
the piers exceed 40 inches (five blocks high).
4. All blocks shall be set with cores placed vertically.
SECTION XI. FOUNDATION SYSTEM PLATES AND SHINS.
An installer may fill a gap between the top of a pier and the main frame
ith a wood plate that is not more than 2 inches thick and two opposing wedge -
haped shims that are not more than 2 inches thick. Wood plates and shims must
e of hem -fir, douglas fir. A shim shall be at least 4 inches wide and 6 inches
ong. The installer shall fit the shim properly and drive it tight between the
ood plate or pier and the main frame to ensure that the mobile home is level
and properly supported at all load- bearing points. A block that abuts a wedge -
shaped shim shall be solid.
SECTION XII. FOUNDATION FACIA.
A mobile home shall have an approved foundation around its entire
perimeter. The wood of the facia shall be at least six inches from the ground
unless it is pressure treated wood. Metal fasteners shall be galvanized,
stainless steel or other corrosive - resistant material. Ferrous metal members
in contact with the earth, other than those that are galvanized or stainless
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steel, shall be coated with asphaltic emulsion. A mobile home that is installed
on a non - recessed site and that has metal foundation facia, shall have
ventilation openings with a net area of at least 1 - 1/2 square inches per lineal
foot. A mobile home that has been installed on a recessed site or that has a
foundation facia that is not made of metal, shall have ventilation openings in
the foundation facia with a net area of at least 1 - 1/2 square feet for each
25 feet of facia. The openings shall be designed to provide cross ventilation
on at least two approximately opposite sides of the mobile home. The installer
shall locate the openings as close to the corner of the mobile home as practical
and shall cover the opening with a corrosive - resistive wire mesh or louvers.
Dryer vents and hot water tank pressure release valves shall exhaust on the
exterior of the foundation facia. The facia for each section of the mobile home
shall have an opening of at least 18 inches by 24 inches with a cover of metal
or pressure- treated wood to allow access to the crawl space. In all cases the
foundation facia shall be installed before, or within 30 days after, the mobile
is occupied.
SECTION XIII. ANCHORING SYSTEM.
The Building Official shall require a single section or multiple section
home to have an anchoring system. Such an anchoring system shall be equal
20 to the following requirements:
21 1. Components of the anchoring system shall have a resistance to weather
22 deterioration that is at least equal to that of a zinc coating that is not less
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than 0.3 inches per square foot of coated surface. Cut edges of zinc coated
24 strapping do not need to be coated.
25 2. An installer shall install, preload and adjust a ground anchor in
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accordance with the anchor manufacturer's instructions. The installer must
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supply a copy of the instructions to the Building Official. A ground anchor,
28 when installed, must be able to resist a working load of 3,150 pounds in the
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direction of the tie plus a 50 percent over load, 4,725 pounds total without
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failure. Failure occurs if the point of connection of a vertical tie to an
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anchor is withdrawn more than two inches at 3,150 pounds or when the point of
connection of a diagonal tie is moved more than four inches horizontally when
a load of 3,150 pounds is applied at 45 degrees from the horizontal. Ground
anchore shall be marked with the manufacturer's identification and model number
in a location that is visible to the inspector after the anchor is installed.
The manufacturer of a ground anchor must provide instructions with each anchor
that specifies the kinds of soils for which the anchor is suitable.
3. If concrete slabs or continous footings are used to transfer the
anchoring loads to the ground, the following requirements apply:
a. Steel rod cast in concrete shall be able to resist the loads and
(corrosion as specified for ground anchors.
b. A deadman anchor may be used in place of a listed anchor. It
Ishall be constructed of solid concrete at least six inches in diameter and two
feet long, reinforced with two four -inch pre- formed steel rods installed at least
five feet below the surface of the ground.
C. A concrete slab may be used in place of a ground anchor if it
provides holding strength equal to the required four ground anchors.
4. Ties shall be of cable, strapping, or other approved materials. Ties
shall be fastened to the ground anchors and drawn tight with turnbuckles, yoke
fasteners or other approved tension devices. Tension devices shall end in
clevis, forged, or welded eyes. Hook ends are not permitted. Tension devices
shall be designed to prevent self- disconnection if the ties become slack. Cable
tie eye shall be secured with two inch "U" bolts, cable clamps or an approved
equal.
The materials must resist a workload of 3,150 pounds with no more than two
percent elongations, and must withstand 50 percent overload, 4,725 poinds total.
Ties shall connect the ground anchors to the main frame longitudinal members.
Ties must not connect to steel outrigger beams that fasten to the main frame
unless the manufacturer's installation instructions specifically approve the
connection. Diagonal ties must lie at least 40 degrees from the vertical.
ORDINANCE - 9 -
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Vertical ties must be substantially veritcal. If a vertical tie is not
substantially veritcal, the anchor must be placed outboard of the tie's
connection to the main frame.
A cable frame tie shall be connected to the main frame by a 5/8 inch drop
forged closed eye bolt through a hole drilled in the cneter of the I -beam web,
or by an approved alternate. The installer shall reinforce the web, if
necessary, to maintain the strength of the beam.
The installer shall space the ties as evenly as practical and shall locate
a tie within eight feet of each end of the mobile home. The installer may attach
two or more ties to a single ground anchor if the anchor can carry the total
required load. The installer shall install vertical ties at each detached corner
of a clerestory roof and added -on sections of expandable mobile homes. As a
minimum, the installer shall install the following number of ties for each I-
beam or other main frame longitudinal member:
Length of Home (feet) Number of Number of
(excluding hitch) Vertical Ties Diagonal Ties
32 -54 2 3
55 -73 2 4
SECTION XIV. ASSEMBLY.
1. Sections of a multiple section mobile home shall be aligned, closed,
and securely fastened at the required points along the ridge beam, endwalls, arid
floor line. Heat ducts, electrical connections, and other fixtures and
connections required between sections of a mobile home shall be properly
installed. The floor of the mobile home shall be level within the tolerances
given in the following table.
Tolerances may not exceed the following amounts (L equals the clear span
between supports, twice the length of a cantilever):
Floor: L/24O
Roof and Ceiling: L /18O
Headers, Beams, Girders (Vertical Load): L /18O
Walls and Partitions: L /18O
ORDINANCE - 10 -
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2. The installer shall provide adequate clearance to ensure that the
cross -over heat duct does not touch the ground and is not compressed. The
installer shall insulate the cross -over duct at the intersection. 'rhe installer
shall insulate and seal areas of potential air leaks to ensure that the mobile
home is airtight, and shall seal areas of potential water leaks with metal
flashing or trim, if required, and with putty tape or other approved caulking
to ensure the mobile home is watertight.
3. The water pipe connection to the mobile home shall have a main shut
off valve in compliance with 24 CFR 3280.609(b) adopted as of April 1, 1982.
In all other respects, utility connections to the mobile home, including water,
sewer, electricity, and gas, shall comply with the applicable county codes.
Accessory structures attached to or located next to a home, such as awnings,
carports, garages, porches, or steps, shall be constructed in conformance with
applicable county codes.
SECTION XV. VIOLATIONS. PENALTY DESIGNATED.
Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this
Chapter, or of the Codes adopted by reference by this Chapter, shall be deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor and each day during which such violation is continued
or committed shall constitute a separate offense, and upon conviction thereof,
shall be punished by a fine of not more than Five Hundred ($500) Dollars, or by
imprisonment in the County jail for a period not exceeding Ninety (90) days, or
by both such fine and imprisonment.
SECTION XVI. SEVERABILITY.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this
or ordinance adopted herein is for any reason held to be invalid or
titutional by the decision of a court of competent jurisdiction, such
on shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this
ordinance or the codes herein.
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SECTION XVII. FEES.
Building permit fees for mobile home installation shall be as set forth
herein, and in lieu fo building permit fees set forth in WCC 17.04.
Application for single -unit mobile home shall be accomplished by the
following fees, payable in cash or by separate checks, to the Division of
Buildings and Code.
Building Permit (residential lot) $100.00
Building Permit (park & residential replacement) $ 50.00
Application for multiple -unit mobile home shall be accompanied by the
following fees, payable in cash or by separate checks, to the Division of
Buildings and Code.
Building Permit (residential lot) $175.00
Building Permit (park & residential replacement) $100.00
Reinspection of a single or
multiple -unit mobile home $ 30.00
ADOPTED this 7th day of September, 1989.
ATTEST:
Ramona Reeves
Celrk of Council
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
via C. C{.ingha
vil Dep y)Prosecuting Attorney
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM CO PTY, WA INGTON
1
Don Hansey „ n
County Counci
(APPROVED ( ) VETOED
_J" .,.
Shirley VanZ nten
County Executive
Date
n