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032487 (2)RANDOLPH COUNTY HOARD OF COMMISSICk MINUTE'S March 24, 1986 The Randolph County Board of Commissioners met for a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. in Courtroom A, County Courthouse, Asheboro, NC. Commissioners Frye, Langley, Davidson, Petty and Comer were present. The purpose of the public hearing was to receive citizen input on a proposed mobile home park ordinance. Hal Johnson, Director of Planning and Development, summarized the contents of the proposed ordinance. Lewis Cheek (Rt. 2, Box 248, Randleman), mobile home park developer, spoke in opposition to the ordinance, saying that it would drive huge numbers of people into welfare and public housing. He contended that developers would have to spend a lot of money to come into compliance and that the ordinance was misleading in its statement that existing parks would not be affected. He asked that Commissioner Petty disqualify himself from voting on the ordinance because of his involvement with Oakwood Mobile Homes. Mr. Cheek stated that the wording of the ordinance was unclear in many instances and was open to too much interpretation. He asked for complete grandfathering if the ordinance should be adopted. He presented a petition with over 500 signatures requesting the rejection of the ordinance. Henry Hinson (Rt. 2, Box 106, Franklinville), owner of Town & County Mobile Home Estates in Ramseur, opposed the speed bump, animal control and recreation area requirements. He stated that he had already bulldozed for 15,000 square -foot lots when the moratorium was imposed. Under the ordinance, he would have to have 20,000 square -foot lots. He asked if he would have to comply since he was working under the requirements in effect at the time he started. Mr. Hinson questioned the fact that parks with 9 or fewer spaces would not necessitate water sampling sent to the state. Welta Harrelson (Rt. 2, Box 175, Denton), park owner in Tabernacle, opposed street lights, speed bumps, lighted signs and recreation areas. Dennis Mahall (Rt. 7, Box 210A, Asheboro), tenant of a mobile home park, asked how the ordinance could benefit him. He feels it will only increase his rent. Pam Thayer (Old Fuller Mill Road, Tabernacle) was in favor of the ordinance, but asked for stricter regulations: 40,000 square -foot lot minimum in watershed areas, that package sewer systems not be allowed in watershed areas, that mobile home park density be the same as for housing developments, that mobile home parks not be allowed on dirt roads, that a community impact study be completed for each park. James Jarrell (Allred Trailer Park, N. Fayetteville St., Asheboro), tenant, said that mobile home park tenants cannot afford to pay more rent. Jimmie L. Ward (4974 Randleman Road, Greensboro), park developer, stated that the ordinance would allow developers to build better parks, but that the ordinance should be changed to reflect the following: Lots shouldn't be sold in subdivisions; offset roads need not be paved; lighted signs should not be required; roads should be inspected periodically by the County; yearly fees should be charged by the County for a semi-annual inspection of mobile home parks to control water, sewer, trash, junk cars, animals, etc. Commissioners Minutes March 24, 1986 Page 2 Max Nance (Route 1, Box 67, Trinity) complained of problems he has incurred from a mobile home park adjacent to his property, including the killing of his animals and trash blown onto his land. He asked for more control over mobile home parks to alleviate problems such as his. Don Osborne (Route 3, Box 627, Randleman), speaking as a taxpayer, praised the Commissioners' efforts to address this issue and said that Commissioner Petty should not excuse himself from this issue. Speaking as a member of the Randolph County Board of Education, Mr. Osborne discussed his concern for all the children of this county. He related problems with buses not being able to go down many roads leading to mobile home parks because of the sub -standard conditions of the roads --they are too narrow; there is no turn- around space at the end of the road; there is not enough gravel to support the bus. Frequently, a large number of children must wait for the bus at the road entrance, with many children standing in the road. Mr. Osborne also discussed the problem of schools having a sudden, large influx of students from these parks. Walker Moffitt (1 Richland Place, Asheboro), owner of Richland Mobile Home Park near the Zoo, stated that the ordinance creates a discrepancy between mobile home parks and subdivisions. He asked that the same standards apply to all situations. John Woodell (P.O. Box 224, Cedar Falls), owner of a mobile home park, asked for a clarification of a section dealing with the selling of spaces in a mobile home park. Vincit Bridges (Fuller Mill Road, Tabernacle), property owner, asked for a community impact study to be placed in the application process for each trailer park. He stated that his neighborhood's major concern is with the quality of water and requested that the ordinance allow a minimum of 40,000 square -foot lots in a watershed and a minimum of 30,000 square -foot lots in unzoned areas. Leonard Hiatt (Rt. 8, Box 541, Asheboro), mobile home park owner, said that campgrounds and apartment houses should have to meet the same requirements as mobile home parks, especially in the area of water testing. Barry Betts, employee of Oakwood Mobile Homes in Asheboro, urged the Board to listen to what the park developers had to say about the ordinance. Steve Campbell (Rt. 2, Box 178, Randleman), park owner, stated that he opposes the ordinance and that the Commissioners are deliberately trying to put mobile home park developers out of business. Clara York (North Asheboro) said she is a single parent with 3 children living in a mobile home. She fees a mobile home is her only alternative financially for housing. Nancy Younts (Rt. 3, Thomasville - Tabernacle Township) spoke against mobile home parks with no standards and no controls. She requested that the ordinance require a minimum of 40,000 square -foot lots in watershed areas. Mrs. Younts said we must keep some open land for farming. Commissioners Minutes March 24, 1986 Page 3 Lynda Swofford (Route 3, Thomasville - Tabernacle Township) stated that she has spoken with 225 citizens in the last 10 days who fear that mobile home parks will be channeled into rural areas along the streams and rivers, since the unzoned areas of the county are not as protected as they would like. Ms. Swofford made the following requests: Protect the farmland; allow only one trailer per 30,000 square feet in unzoned areas; require a minimum of 40,000 square -foot lots in watersheds; do not allow sewer package systems in watersheds; do not allow mobile home parks on dirt roads; include provisions for community impact studies in unzoned areas in the ordinance. Bill Nelson (Sophia), park owner, asked about a grandfather clause in the ordinance. He opposed the ordinance requirements for recreation areas and for paving roads. Leroy mite (Rt. 7, Box 234, Asheboro) asked the Board to rewrite certain sections of the ordinance for clarification purposes. Ed Huffman (SR 1539, Jordan Road), owner of Huffman Trailer Park, asked why he can't get certificates of completion for 8 spaces on which he has improvements permits and water and power available. James C. Reynolds (Route 1, Pleasant Garden) presented a petition with over 100 signatures asking the Commissioners to enact a mobile hone ordinance prior to the end of the moratorium which places restrictions on mobile homes, mobile hone parks and mobile home subdivisions, including, but not limited to, the number of mobile hones per acre and sanitation requirements; and to enact a zoning ordinance for the northernmost townships of Randolph County, in accordance with the existing land use study and the reconmendations of the Randolph County Planning and Zoning Board. Calvin Hinshaw (Box 97, Second Street, Julian), Mayor of Julian, detailed the many problems he has had from living next to a trailer park, including theft, destruction of property, and communication of threats. He said that the park tenants put their boats in his lake and threatened to shoot him if he comes around. He urged the Board to adopt an ordinance which would provide higher standards and more control over mobile home parks. Jerry Hughes asked questions about how the grandfather clause would affect his mobile hone park. Charles Stanley, park developer, said that treatment plants are better than septic tanks. Chairman Frye told the audience that the Board appreciated their input and that the Commissioners would need some time to digest what they had heard. The Board plans to tour the county soon to look at mobile home parks across the county. Chairman Frye declared the public hearing closed.