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Manufactured Housing Parks

7 or more homes on a single parcel

This packet explains what you need to do to have your manufactured home placed on a lot when there are 7 or more other homes on the same parcel. If you are placing a home on a site where another manufactured home was before, please use the information for "One Home Replacing Another." Please keep this packet and use it as you go through the process.

The Town of Hilton Head Island has recently adopted new regulations for Manufactured Housing Parks, which are neighborhoods where there are 7 or more homes on a single parcel of land (as defined on the Beaufort County Tax Map). If you are adding a new home to a parcel which has 7 or more homes already on it, you must follow the process as described in this pamphlet. If you are adding a home to a parcel which has between 1 and 6 homes on it, you must follow the process as described in the pamphlet titled "Family Housing Developments". If you are replacing a home which already exists regardless of whether it is on a parcel by itself or with other homes, you need to follow the process described in the pamphlet "One Home Replacing Another".

Manufactured Housing Parks are permitted by special exception in the RM-4, RM-12, and CMU zoning districts. Each Manufactured Housing Park must meet the following standards:

A. Dimensional Requirements:

  1. The parcel must be a minimum of two acres in size, exclusive of tidal wetlands.
  2. The density cannot exceed the density allowed for the underlying zoning district. For RM-4 and CMU the density is 4 units per acre, for RM-12 it is 12 units per acre, and for RD it is 8 units per acre. Please note that you are limited in the number of homes you can place on an acre by the minimum site sizes given below.
  3. Each home site within the Manufactured Housing Park must be a minimum of 5,000 square feet, with a minimum width of 50 feet. If the homes are to be served by individual septic systems for sewage disposal, then the minimum site size may need to be larger to fit the septic systems plus the home.
  4. There must be a setback from the street right-of-way to the homes: 50 feet if the street is an Arterial or 20 feet if it is any other street (public or private).
  5. The homes must be set back from the side and rear lines of the home site a minimum of 3 feet to 1 inch. This may be increased depending on the type of construction of the home, if you need verification of the separation distance between homes please contact the Department of Building and Fire Codes.
  6. The homes must be set back at least 20 feet from tidal wetlands (the OCRM Critical Line).
  7. There must be parking space provided on each home site for two (2)vehicles, which must be located at least 10 feet from the street right-of-way.

B. Design and Other Requirements:

  1. The manufactured housing park must be designed to preserve and protect significant trees and other natural resources, as determined by the Natural Resources Administrator.
  2. The manufactured housing park must comply with the open space standards. In the RM-4 and CMU districts this means there must be at least 65% of the total site that is not covered by buildings or roads. In the RM-12 district there must be at least 50% of the total site that is not covered by buildings or roads. In addition, a portion of this open space area must be reserved for common open space and for recreational use, see LMO Chapter 5, Article III for further information.
  3. The street providing access to the home sites within the Manufacturing Housing Park must be constructed to town standards, including a minimum right-of-way width of 40 feet for developments up to 25 homes or 50 feet for developments of 26 or more homes. The travel width must be 18 or 20 feet wide, depending ont he number of homes, and needs to be paved unless you get permission to leave it unpaved from the Town Engineer. To do that, you need to contact the Town Engineer to find out what you will need for a finished surface and any drainage system. In addition, no home sites can have their own driveway accessing an arterial street.
  4. The manufactured housing park must comply with the Town's drainage standards. See LMO Chapter 5, Article V for information on those requirements.
  5. The manufactured housing park must comply with the Town's buffer standards, in LMO Chapter 5, Article VII. In addition, no home sites may be located in whole or in part within the required buffer.
  6. The homes must be constructed or placed in compliance with the flood zone standards, meaning they must be elevated above the flood elevation.
  7. Each home must have an approved water supply, sewage disposal system (either a public sewer system connection or an individual septic system), electrical connection, telephone connection, and gas connection, if gas is to be used int he home (for heating, cooking, etc.).
  8. You must pay all applicable impact fees. At this time, the Town of Hilton Head Island has a transportation impact fee. Beaufort County has several impact fees, which will be collected for the County by the Town when the building permit is applied for. Please contact Beaufort County for more information.
  9. The manufactured housing park is subject to provisions of LMO Chapter 5, Article XI, traffic analysis.
  10. The manufactured housing park must include a storage area for boats, trailers, and recreational vehicles, and must be at least 100 square feet per home site within the park, screened with an opaque fence or landscaping, and must include tie down anchors for securing stored items.

There are a number of costs involved in the process outlined in this packet. They include:

  • having a surveyor prepare the site plan and install flood zone benchmarks for each home;
  • having septic systems designed and installed, or sewer connections made;
  • having a licensed electrician wire for electrical power from the pole to the home;
  • having a licensed mechanical contractor connect the HVAC system;
  • Palmetto Electric for getting electrical power to the site;
  • Town of Hilton Head Manufactured Home Permit fee; (Inspections Department)
  • Beaufort County registration fee;
  • Development Plan Review fee per new home.

Driveway Access:

You may be required to obtain a permit (called an encroachment permit) to allow you to use a driveway or build a new driveway into your home site. There are four different categories of roads in the town: State Roads, County Roads, Town Roads and Private Roads. The Planning Information Center has a listing of these roads. Please note that this is not a part of the Planning Department approval, this information is being provided as a courtesy.

Application forms for encroachment permits are available from the Engineering Department at Town Hall.

Before you can get your electrical power turned on to your home, you will need to do the following:

First get Planning Approval:

A 1: Get the septic system designed and approved. If your park will be serviced by individual septic systems for each home, you must get a septic system designed and approved for each new house. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) will approve the design at this point, and after it is installed they will approve the installation. Call them at 843-757-2251 for more information. You must have a separate septic system for each house on the parcel.

A 2: Get a Development Plan Review Approval from the Town of Hilton Head Island Planning Department. Come to the Planning Information Center in Town Hall.

The landowner or developer should meet with a Current Planner to discuss the development and what information is needed for the Development Plan Review (DPR) application. Manufacturing Housing Parks must be approved through the full DPR process, but the information required for the application submission may differ depending on the site and circumstances. After that meeting you need to submit the application package (including forms, fee, site plan, proof of ownership, etc.) to the Planning Department, and the application will be processed in a timely manner. Please refer to LMO Section 16-3-303 for information on the DPR submission requirements.

Once the plan has been reviewed and approved by Town staff, the planner will prepare a Notice of Action which you will bring to the Department of Building & Fire Codes later in the process. If you have any questions on this step, please call Planning at 341-4681.

Note: the remaining process will depend on what type of Park is being developed:

If the application is to add one or two manufactured houses to a parcel which will put the total number of homes at 7 or more, follow the steps below numbered "B".

If the application is for a new park which will have manufactured homes permanently installed and rented out, follow the steps below numbered "C".

If the application is for a new park where the home sites will be rented out to individual manufactured home owners, follow the steps below numbered "D".

If you have any questions on the following steps, please call the Department of Building & fire Codes at 341-4757

If the application is to add one or two manufactured houses to a parcel which will put the total number of homes at 7 or more, follow these steps:

B 1. Get a flood zone determination for each new home from the Town of Hilton Head Department of Building & Fire Codes.

Bring your DPR Notice of Action to the Town Hall, and ask for a flood zone determination. They will write it on your DRP Notice of Action. If your home will be in a flood zone, you must arrange for a surveyor to put up a benchmark before the home is delivered, which shows the installer how high the home must be elevated. After the house is installed, the surveyor will return and certify that the home is at the correct height. He will give you two copies of the elevation certificate.

B 2. Get the septic system installed and approved for each new home.

Have the contractor install the septic system and get it inspected by DHEC. When DHEC grants their final approval, they will sign the form in the second space at the bottom of the form. The septic system does not have final approval until DHEC has signed both places at the bottom of the form.

B 3: Get each new home registered with Beaufort County.

This can be done at the County Building Department in Beaufort or in Bluffton at 4819 Bluffton Parkway, 3rd Floor (757-1506 - hours 8-12 and 1-4). If you have been assigned a new address, you will not be able to do this until the new address is in the County's computer, usually 1-2 days after it is assigned by the Town. Bring the following paperwork with you when you go:

  • a copy of the Planning Department DPR Notice of Action with the Flood Zone indicated. (from steps A2 & B1)
  • a copy of the Bill of Sale for the home.
  • title or proof that you have applied for title.
  • a copy of the site plan of the property showing where the home will be placed.
  • the septic system final approval, signed by DHEC in both places at the bottom of the form. (from steps A1& B2)
  • specification regarding Wind Zone II. (Call the County for information)

B 4: Get your Manufactured Home Permit for each new home from the Town of Hilton Head Department of Building and Fire Codes (341-4757).

Take the following paperwork with you when you visit the department:

  • a copy of the Town of Hilton Head Planning Department DPR Notice of Action. (from step A2)
  • a copy of the Beaufort County registration. (from step B3)
  • the septic system final approval signed by DHEC in both places at the bottom of the form. (from steps A1& B2)
  • additional plans for site built items: foundation plan if the home will be permanently installed on a foundation, and drawings of any stairs and landings if they are to be built on site.
  • the Transportation Impact Fee.
  • the Beaufort County Impact Fees.
  • the permit fee.

B 5: Make arrangements for electric service to each new home.

After you have obtained your building permit, you can go to Palmetto Electric to arrange for electric service to your home site.

B 6: Get the home(s) installed on the lot.

  • The installer must have a State of South Carolina license for Manufactured Home Installation. The home must be installed to the correct height and in the correct position for connection to the septic system. There must be a landing and steps in compliance with Town Codes at each exterior doorway in order to receive final approval from the Deptartment of Building & Fire Codes.

B 7: Get the electrical wiring and HVAC system connected for each new home.

You need to hire a licensed electrician to wire for electrical power from the service pole to the home. The ditch for the wiring from the pole to the home must be left uncovered until after the Town's inspection. You will also need to hire a licensed mechanical contractor to connect the HVAC system. Mechanical Certificates must be filled out and signed by the electrician and mechanical contractor doing the work (one certificate for each).

B 8: Get the surveyor to certify the elevation of each home.

If the home is within a flood zone, then the surveyor must return to the site to measure the height of the home as installed, and if it is installed at the correct height, he will give you two elevation certificates.

B 9: Bring the remaining paperwork to the Department of Building & Fire Codes.

Bring the following paperwork to the Town Inspections Department to complete your file:

  • Signed and notarized Mechanical Certificates for the electrical wiring from the pole to the home and for the HVAC (from step B7)
  • Elevation certificates. (from step B8)

B 10: Arrange for an inspection by the Town's Department of Building & Fire Codes.

Call the Department's answering machine at 341-4750 to arrange for an inspection. If your file is complete (that is, if all the paperwork has been submitted) then the inspection will be done the next business day. You must:

  • be present for the inspection to take place
  • have your Manufactured Home Installation Manual available
  • have the address posted
  • have the County registration sticker posted

After the home passes inspection, the Town will call Palmetto Electric to have the power turned on to your home(s).

If the application is for a new park which will have manufactured homes permanently installed and rented out, follow these steps:

C 1: Construct the infrastructure for the Park, including all septic systems if the development is not on public sewer.

C 2: Get permits from Building & Fire Codes for each home (submission to include foundation plans and drawings for any stairs and landings built on site).

C 3: Install the homes.

C 4: Get certificate of compliance.

C 5: Have Building & Fire Codes inspect each home (see B 10 for details).

C 6: After the homes have passed Building and Fire Codes inspection, then the Town will call Palmetto Electric to have the power turned on to the homes.

If the application is for a new park where the home sites will be rented out to individual manufactured home owners, follow these steps:

D 1: Construct the infrastructure for the Park, including all septic systems if the development is not on public sewer.

D 2: Get certificate of compliance.

D 3: Each individual homeowner will then need to follow the steps outlined in the "Information Packet for Individual Manufactured Home", bringing with them a xerox copy of the DPR Notice of Action. Please note that they will not be able to get approval to place their home on the site until the Certificate of Compliance has been obtained.