Minnesota Session Laws - 1987, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1987 

                        CHAPTER 195-H.F.No. 196 
           An act relating to public safety; manufactured homes; 
          requiring manufactured home park owners to provide 
          underground shelter for residents during severe 
          weather; requiring a feasibility study; amending 
          Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 327.20, subdivision 
          1; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
          chapter 327. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 327.20, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read:  
    Subdivision 1.  [RULES.] No domestic animals or house pets 
of occupants of manufactured home parks or recreational camping 
areas shall be allowed to run at large, or commit any nuisances 
within the limits of a manufactured home park or recreational 
camping area.  Each manufactured home park or recreational 
camping area licensed under the provisions of sections 327.10, 
327.11, 327.14 to 327.28 shall, among other things, provide for 
the following, in the manner hereinafter specified: 
    (1) A responsible attendant or caretaker shall be in charge 
of every manufactured home park or recreational camping area at 
all times, who shall maintain the park or area, and its 
facilities and equipment in a clean, orderly and sanitary 
condition.  In any manufactured home park containing more than 
50 lots, the attendant, caretaker, or other responsible park 
employee, shall be readily available at all times in case of 
emergency.  
    (2) All manufactured home parks shall be well drained and 
be located so that the drainage of the park area will not 
endanger any water supply.  No waste water from manufactured 
homes or recreational camping vehicles shall be deposited on the 
surface of the ground.  All sewage and other water carried 
wastes shall be discharged into a municipal sewage system 
whenever available.  When a municipal sewage system is not 
available, a sewage disposal system acceptable to the state 
commissioner of health shall be provided. 
    (3) No manufactured home shall be located closer than three 
feet to the side lot lines of a manufactured home park, if the 
abutting property is improved property, or closer than ten feet 
to a public street or alley.  Each individual site shall abut or 
face on a driveway or clear unoccupied space of not less than 16 
feet in width, which space shall have unobstructed access to a 
public highway or alley.  There shall be an open space of at 
least ten feet between the sides of adjacent manufactured homes 
including their attachments and at least three feet between 
manufactured homes when parked end to end.  The space between 
manufactured homes may be used for the parking of motor vehicles 
and other property, if the vehicle or other property is parked 
at least ten feet from the nearest adjacent manufactured home 
position.  The requirements of this paragraph shall not apply to 
recreational camping areas and variances may be granted by the 
state commissioner of health in manufactured home parks when the 
variance is applied for in writing and in the opinion of the 
commissioner the variance will not endanger the health, safety 
and welfare of manufactured home park occupants. 
    (4) An adequate supply of water of safe, sanitary quality 
shall be furnished at each manufactured home park or 
recreational camping area.  The source of the water supply shall 
first be approved by the state department of health.  At least 
one water supply outlet shall be provided at convenient 
locations throughout the manufactured home park or recreational 
camping area. 
    (5) All plumbing shall be installed in accordance with the 
rules of the state commissioner of health and the provisions of 
the Minnesota plumbing code. 
    (6) In the case of a manufactured home park with less than 
10 manufactured homes, a plan for the sheltering or the safe 
evacuation to a safe place of shelter of the residents of the 
park in times of severe weather conditions, such as tornadoes, 
high winds and floods.  The shelter or evacuation plan shall be 
developed with the assistance and approval of the municipality 
where the park is located and shall be posted at conspicuous 
locations throughout the park.  Nothing in this paragraph 
requires the department of health to review or approve any 
shelter or evacuation plan developed by a park. Failure of a 
municipality to approve a plan submitted by a park shall not be 
grounds for action against the park by the department of health 
if the park has made a good faith effort to develop the plan and 
obtain municipal approval.  
     (7) A manufactured home park with ten or more manufactured 
homes, licensed prior to March 1, 1988, shall provide a safe 
place of shelter for park residents or a plan for the evacuation 
of park residents to a safe place of shelter within a reasonable 
distance of the park for use by park residents in times of 
severe weather, including tornadoes and high winds.  The shelter 
or evacuation plan must be approved by the municipality by March 
1, 1989.  The municipality may require the park owner to 
construct a shelter if it determines that a safe place of 
shelter is not available within a reasonable distance from the 
park.  A copy of the municipal approval and the plan shall be 
submitted by the park owner to the department of health. 
    (8) A manufactured home park with ten or more manufactured 
homes, receiving a primary license after March 1, 1988, must 
provide the type of shelter required by section 2. 
    Sec. 2.  [327.205] [SHELTER CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS.] 
    The commissioner of administration shall adopt, by rule, 
minimum standards for the construction of low cost manufactured 
home park storm shelters by March 1, 1988.  All shelters 
constructed after March 1, 1988, shall be constructed in 
accordance with these standards. 
    Sec. 3.  [FEASIBILITY STUDY.] 
    The commissioner of administration shall conduct a study to 
determine the feasibility of requiring emergency storm shelters 
in all new construction for above-grade single-family housing 
and shall submit the study to the legislature by January 15, 
1988. 
    Sec. 4.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
    Section 1 is effective March 1, 1989. 
    Approved May 21, 1987