Commission approves New York Street mobile home park redevelopment; phasing and site improvements planned

The Rapid City Planning Commission approved a final plan development overlay on Aug. 7 to redevelop the mobile home park at 815 East New York Street. The redevelopment reduces the park from 68 spaces to 60, adds landscaping and a management office, and includes multiple exceptions to city standards that the commission approved with stipulations and a phasing plan intended to limit displacement.

Planning staff told the commission the park was originally developed in 1959 and is a legal nonconforming mobile home park. The applicant requested exceptions to increase maximum lawn coverage from 30% to 32% (staff recommended approval), reduce guest parking from 15 to 12 spaces (staff recommended denial and suggested options to meet code), and reduce standard front-yard setbacks from 35 feet to as little as 18–20 feet to accommodate resident parking pads. Staff recommended approval of the setback exceptions and the existing-site exception that allows vehicles to back into East New York and East Chicago rights-of-way, noting the site has operated in that fashion since 1959.

Staff presented an accident graphic showing 11 recorded crashes on or near the property since 2017, most occurring at intersections and not directly related to vehicles backing into the right-of-way. The applicant’s engineer, Joe Maylander, said the redevelopment will be phased: vacant lots will receive new homes first, and each new home placed must comply with the new site plan and infrastructure requirements. Maylander said the project will add stormwater management, additional landscaping, two-car parking pads for residents and a 24-foot internal roadway; parking will be prohibited in the internal alley after improvements.

Commissioners and staff emphasized tenant protections. Planning staff and the applicant said no current resident would be forced to leave because of the redevelopment; homes will be replaced as occupants vacate or as units are removed for safety reasons. The applicant committed to phased construction that permits residents to remain as long as practical and to use on-site management and city inspections to ensure standards are met.

The commission approved the final plan development overlay with the stipulations in the staff report. The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. Staff noted infrastructure improvements and building-permit inspections will be required and that some infrastructure work may need to precede phasing lines to meet safety and stormwater requirements.

The approval advances a multi-step permitting and construction process intended to modernize the park’s appearance and infrastructure while maintaining most of its density and giving residents time and resources to remain or transition to refurbished units.