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Staff describes code‑enforcement problems in manufactured‑housing communities, recommends tighter rules
Summary
At a Jan. 27 Planning and Zoning workshop, building services staff said no existing manufactured‑housing communities in Alpine comply with current ordinance requirements; staff proposed limiting future manufactured‑community development and relying on grandfathering for existing parks while pursuing cleanup through enforcement.
ALPINE, Texas — During a Planning and Zoning Commission workshop on Jan. 27, 2025, building services staff described persistent code‑enforcement and sanitary problems in Alpine’s manufactured‑housing communities and proposed removing or tightening the permitted status for new manufactured‑housing communities in the city code.
Jessica, the city building official leading the presentation, told commissioners that none of the multi‑lot manufactured‑housing communities she reviewed meet the ordinance's technical layout and sanitary requirements: "Not one of them is in compliance with our ordinance," she said. She cited recent work at the parcel behind the Maverick, property ownership complications for older units, and chronic code violations as the primary enforcement headaches.
Problems staff described: - Ownership and registration gaps for older trailers: numerous units had passed through multiple owners, leaving unclear title and complicating removal or repair options. Jessica said that because manufactured homes are considered real property, the city is required to pursue the landowner for violations, which can stall enforcement when ownership is unclear. - Sanitary and maintenance issues: staff showed photographs taken recently of deteriorated units and said many communities have not been established or registered according to the city's ordinance requirements for manufactured home communities (spacing, pad depth, infrastructure). - Nonconformity and enforcement limits: many parks are grandfathered but do not meet current code; staff said they can prevent a new unit from being brought in once a dwelling is removed, but the process to fully remedy nonconforming parks will be long.
Staff proposal and rationale: Jessica said the practical option is to stop allowing new manufactured‑housing community development in the code (removing the permitted status for new communities) while allowing existing communities to remain under a grandfathering clause and pursuing gradual cleanup through code enforcement. "It'd be easier if the landowner had a landowner and you didn't have that. So that was kind of the reason we're like, well, this is real messy, so can we get rid of it?" she said.
Commission response and next steps: Commissioners asked for additional data on lot acreage and vacancy in each residential category to understand density and capacity implications; one commissioner requested a map‑based estimate of how much land is zoned R‑2 versus R‑4 and how much is vacant. Staff said it would produce those figures for future meetings. No formal action was taken; staff will revise the draft ordinance and present it as an action item to Planning and Zoning and city council.
