Mobile Home Lot Issue

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hmassie2

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I am a mobile home owner in Prince Georges County Maryland. I have owned my home since 1997 and up until now I have had no problems with the management. Within the last three years our Park was purchased by a new company. When a lot is vacated by another mobile home they are putting in their mobile homes to sell within the lot. Right next to me they took out a 14' wide mobile home and replaced it with a 24' double wide. Due to the limitation on spacing the new mobile home's shed and back steps are now located in what used to be my lot. Our leases have stated we are responsible for the maintenance and general upkeep of our mobile home sites. However, when I ask for a clear definition of what makes up our lot site you can't get any clear guidance from the management. So I decided to take matters into my own hands. According to them it is private property and they can do what they want. It is not private property it is commercial property zoned as a mobile home park Classification R-M-H and there are certain things they can't do which they are. I went to Park and Planning in my county and pulled the most recent boundray worksheet. My Lot is marked on the map and has the following lot dimensions 41'W by 87'L. The lot next door to me is the exact same size. In fact all the lots on my street are the same. Apparently Park and Planning have to sign off on the site plans and on the notation for the permit it says "OK FOR REPLACEMENT MOBILE HOME". Then I pulled the permitting rules for the county I live in from the Dept of Environmental Resources Permits and Review Division BuLLENTIN 2004-6. Subject: Approval of replacement mobile homes/manufactured homes under a walk-thru commercial use permit (CGUW) in established mobile home parks. This is the process my mobile home park goes thru to get the permit. The appplication does have the following limitions: "Replacement mobile homes on the same lot which another mobile home has vacated", "No zoning or special exeption changes", "Limited to existing mobile home parks with a valid operating license and no active written violations", "The mobile home must have a minium of 10' distance from any other structure or mobile home as a safe fire seperation", " Any other add-ons shall be permitted separately (decks, sheds, LP gas installations, electrial cut-ins, etc.). It als states the plans that must be submitted 3 site plans that identify the lot to be used. 2 foundation plans signed and sealed by a licensed MD Professional engineer. 2 copies of entrance and exit platform details, 2 copies of floor plans, 3 copies of the overall approved special exception for the mobile home park.

I called the zoning department in park and planning and they sent me to the Permits Inspector for my area. At first I did not have the info listed above and I asked how could they put a trailer that is less than 10' from another and get away with it isn't there some sort of fire violation because they don't have fire walls. He said how did I know they don't have fire walls or sprinklers and said the Licensed Engineer will sign off on the permit and they will review. He must have thought I was an idiot or would not check into it further. :eek: I then found all the above info and called the Director of Environmental Resources who could not have been nicer. Needless to say when I got to the permits review dept they pulled the site plans for the trailer and the specs listed a 15' clearance between the home in front of the new double wide and a 16' clearance between me and the new home. So the permits supervisor had the inspector supervisor come out and they have issued a violation for the new mobile home because it was not what they originally submitted with the permit. It is only 9.4' from the trailer in front. My question is however, and the inspector could not answer it, who is approving these site plans if the lot sizes are already zoned and numbered. How can the park come into my 41' width space and place any items including the new home on my lot. That is the same as taking a 3 bedroom apt and cutting it down to 2 then saying deal with it because we are the owners. Oh and by the way you still have to pay the same lot rent. From what I have learned Park and Planning don't talk to permits. No-one is manning the store. Now since the park has been issued a formal written violation the inspector said they will have to pull the new mobile home and start over. Can't move it to either direction without redoing the footers. How can I protect my lot site from being inhabited by the owners??? This is going to cost them some money and I am worried about retalitation efforts on their part to me because I made issues. I gave them a chance and expressed my concerns. They told me I am just a renter and this is private property. I said I hope your permits are all on the up and up because I will be checking and agian they said the process was very intense and they do exactly as required. Until they got caught breaking the law. I am disappointed with the Permits Dept in PG county because everyone I talked to did not know anything about building codes for a mobile home. Even the inspector at first told me they could do what they wanted because it is private property. I even told him I am questioning how the footers went in because there was no one who ever came out to inspect. He asked me if I was a structural engineer. And if the park has one sign off on it there was noting I could do. Well I am an Accountant, and what I do know is Arthur Anderson were the independent auditors for Enron but when the Government was notified about some concerns with cooking the books, they didn't just take Arthur Andersons word for it.... There was an investigation done because of the fiduciary responsability to the stockholders. Can anyone help with what I should do next. Do I go to HUD about Landlord-Tenant issues. Should I retain a lawyer and what type of lawyer would specialize in these issues. I am tired of being told what I can't do. I want the park to be responsible for their part as well. A lot of my neighbors are equally as frustrated with the situation as well. The neighbor behind me who purchased a home in 2006 one of the new double wides has a three page list of items in her new home that have problems. Like roof now leaking, Cracks in the drywall around the outer walls. Molding coming from the walls. Hey I wonder is that would have anything to do with the footers and settlement???? Because I was there when they put those in as well and there was no actual site inspection done until the skirting was up and everything was completely done. When they put the footers in someone just brings in a bobcat and digs a whole. There are no metal rods placed in the ground or leveling of the concrete. Just dig and pour..... These are not cheap homes and to top it off you can't just pick up and move them.....:no:
 
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Now let me update you on some specific issues. The County has issued a sanction against the park (written violation). The park has to move the trailer out of the existing space because it does not meet the original specs in the permit. I have talked to the park management and now they have brought a specialist in to help for the next couple of weeks. I spoke to him today and they say they plan on moving the mobile home 6 inches to the right. This will insure them the site plans they requested before. I told them if they move the trailer 6 inches to the right then I would have no option but to call the inspector's office again and have them back out. My Lot Zoning according to the Park and Planning has a 41'WX87'L the 41'W is both front and back of the lot. The 41' lot includes steps both front and back and Sheds. According to Park and Planning they don't have a Special Exception to rezone the lot sizes to suit their needs. I said they could move the double wide 6 inches to the right if they could maintain my 41' lot width. If not I don't care what the inspector said he will come back out and suggest another review by Park and Planing in Maryland. I spoke to a Permit Reviewer who said that he sees this type of stuff happening every day and unless I keep fighting the county does not like to get involved. I did tell the management I have retained an attorney because I am afraid of the retalitaiton they might have. However, as long as I live here they will not take advantage of me and take my space in order for them to make more money..... When I first moved in here I was told that my lot was not suited for a double wide trailer and I could only bring in a single wide. Oddly enough the codes have not changed since then, only the owners have changed........ Also, according to the office they did not realize they were breaking the law..... If they did not realize why did they go thru the walk thru process and not have the county tell them what the laws were??????:no:
 
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