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Council adopts amendment offering anchoring alternative to FEMA storm-shelter requirement for mobile-home parks
Summary
Council approved Ordinance No. 4248 amending mobile-home park special-design criteria to add an anchoring/tie-down alternative (g4) to FEMA storm-shelter requirements, after discussion about practicality, HUD guidance and engineering options including helical anchors.
The North Platte City Council on April 21 adopted Ordinance No. 4248, which amends the city code’s special design criteria for RM mobile home parks to add an alternative (labeled g4) that allows enhanced anchoring and tie‑down standards in lieu of constructing FEMA‑designated storm shelters in some cases.
Council members and staff discussed safety, cost and practicality. Some councilors said the shelter requirement could be impractical and expensive for larger parks; staff and engineering representatives described options such as helical anchors and HUD manufactured-housing guidance that can produce uplift and pullout strength comparable to permanent foundations depending on design.
One councilor said the HUD and FEMA requirements can be difficult for large parks to meet and that the amendment provides an alternative path. Engineering staff cautioned that anchoring requirements would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and would need to meet minimum standards; the council adopted the ordinance on second reading.
Councilors urged staff to ensure clarity on enforcement, storm‑shelter sizing, and how the alternative would be applied in large developments; staff indicated building-inspection and engineering review would guide implementation.
