Planning commission approves redevelopment of Watertown mobile home park, requires sprinklers

The Rapid City Planning Commission on Aug. 7 approved a final plan development overlay to redevelop the existing mobile home park at 110 East Watertown Street, allowing 43 mobile-home spaces to be renovated and 42 new HUD-certified units to be brought on site, contingent on installing fire suppression systems in the new units.

City planning staff said the 3.46-acre property is a legal, nonconforming mobile home park that currently contains 43 spaces (26 occupied, 17 vacant), a duplex and two accessory buildings. The application would consolidate four parcels into a single lot, upgrade internal roads to asphalt, and connect all new units to the master water meter before building permits are issued.

Staff and the applicant framed the project as a redevelopment rather than creation of a new park. The proposal preserves the existing number of spaces while replacing most homes: 21 one-bedroom units (14-by-40 feet) and 21 two-bedroom units (14-by-54 feet), plus one existing 16-by-80 mobile home and an existing duplex to remain. Internal roads will be improved to a 20-foot internal alley and a 24-foot East Watertown Street surface; the applicant also intends to vacate an east–west alley and consolidate lots.

The redevelopment requires several exceptions to city code. Staff described and recommended approval of reduced front-yard setbacks to 20 feet along public rights-of-way and as little as 5.5 feet for some homes adjacent to North Maple Avenue and Herman Street. The applicant also sought an exception to allow perimeter units to back into the public right-of-way; staff supported that request because the change would move parking off the existing right-of-way and into private property.

The most contested exceptions involved clearance distances — reductions of front clearances to internal park roads from 5 feet to as little as 0 feet, side clearances from 20 feet to as small as 7 feet, and end clearances from 10 feet to as little as 3.5 feet. Fire staff opposed reduced clearances unless the new units were equipped with fire sprinkler systems. Planning staff recommended denial of the clearance exception unless a covenant with the fire department required sprinklers.

Commissioners approved the final plan development overlay and the requested exceptions but made the clearance reduction conditional on the installation of fire suppression systems in all new mobile-home units. Josh Kaufman, representing the applicant, told the commission the developer supports sprinklers “especially to make this work,” but said details on how to achieve manufacturer-installed or site-installed sprinklers were still being finalized. Fire Department representative Chip said he is meeting with a sprinkler contractor and working with the builder on technical options and estimated costs.

Planning staff (identified in the hearing as Vicky) said the applicant committed to working with existing tenants and local nonprofit partners to minimize displacement. Staff said tenants would be given time to relocate, offered assistance to purchase or transition to new units where feasible, and provided relocation resources. The staff report also noted a letter of opposition submitted the morning of the hearing that described the project as a new park; staff clarified it is a redevelopment of an existing park and that required public notices were posted.

The commission recorded no roll-call tallies for the motion; the motion passed by voice vote. The project remains subject to the stipulations listed in the staff report, building-permit review and inspection, master-meter connection requirements, and the fire-suppression covenant that the commission made a condition of reduced clearances.

If the developer finalizes manufacturing and sprinkler details and obtains permits, staff and the applicant said construction could begin later this year, subject to weather and permitting timelines.