Columbus County Health Department

Policies and Procedures

Environmental HealthMobileHome

Park and Campground/RV Park

Permitting and Inspections

Policy:

The Environmental Health Division shall inspect parks at least once yearly (calendar or fiscal year). Inspections are to assure sanitary wastewater treatment and disposal and to promote quality work and public health and environmental protection.

Purpose:

The purpose of this policy is to provide uniform procedures for conducting facility inspections and shall include wastewater systems, general sanitary conditions of the park, compliance with park Letter of Compliance and the individual system permits. This policy applies to properties served by both municipal and individual water and sewer.

Responsible Person(s):

Environmental Health Specialists, Environmental Health Program Specialist, Environmental Health Supervisor

Procedure:

  1. Before arriving on the site, the EHS shall review the park record, especially the previous inspection, operation permit and plat of the park. It is recommended that a copy of the park plat be made and used for orientation and identification of details within the park.
  2. Park shall be surveyed by conducting a walking inspection of the entire property of the park. Details to be reviewed include, wastewater system, water supplies, connections of water and wastewater, location and sizes of homes, improvements, solid waste disposal, storm water – drainage concerns, other items as may be determined to be a concern.
  3. A detailed written report shall be prepared for the park record documenting the inspection. A copy of the inspection report and results shall be sent to the park owner, and to the Columbus County Planning and/or Building Inspections Department.
  4. When a single subsurface wastewater system is found to be malfunctioning in a park, a violation notice shall be issued and the park status shall be listed as unapproved. No relocations or reconnections shall be approved until all the wastewater systems in the park again have an approved status.

Relocations/connections within a mobile home park

  1. For parks with a valid Letter of Compliance, Operation Permit and an approved status, relocations or connections may be applied for at the CC Building/Planning Department and Environmental Health Division of the CCHD. For applications that match the individual site limitations (size of home, footprint, number of bedrooms, etc…) a certification / authorization shall be issued to the applicant.
  2. Campgrounds and RV Parks shall serve mobile campers / RV Units, no permanently place structures. Only mobile homes shall be located in a mobile home park.
  3. Applications and fees for relocations / reconnections shall be in writing using an approved form available at the EHD of the CCHD. Submittal of the application may require planning approvals, certifications from utility services in the area, details concerning the home or unit to be placed on the site / lot.
  4. For parks with an unapproved status or invalid Letter of Compliance, no relocations or connections shall be authorized or approved.

Requirements for a park

  1. Properties with three mobile homes,or 15 or more camper/ RV sites shall be considered as a park by the CCHD.
  2. Parks (Mobile Home, campground, RV Parks) must all be served with approved wastewater and water systems.
  3. All sites must be in compliance with the NCDENR-Onsite Water Protection Section Laws and Rules for Sewage Treatment and Disposal and Potable Water Supplies.
  4. All parks shall provide approved solid waste disposal and handling facilities and meet sanitary conditions throughout the park.
  5. For a campground or RV Park providing no electrical service to sites or a shared/common electrical supply that units plug into, no individual permitting or approvals shall be required. Units typically located on sites daily or weekly.
  6. All parks shall have a sign identifying the property by name, GIS address and a contact number. Lots shall be numbered individually.

FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROGRAM (Fees subject to periodic revision)

MobileHomeParkWritten Authorization/ Relocation------$75.00

Compliance with other agency or department requirements

  1. Compliance with the requirements of the CCHD shall not exempt a property owner from complying with another agency’s or departments requirements.

Violations

  1. Violation notices shall be issued for wastewater system problems within parks (Campground, mobile home, RV). The CCHD shall follow-up on violations notices and will re-inspect the problems once the park owner indicates that they have been corrected.
  2. Violation notices shall be issued for potable water system problems within parks (Campground, mobile home, RV). The CCHD shall follow-up on violations notices and will re-inspect the problems once the park owner indicates that they have been corrected.
  3. Violation notices may be issued for other sanitary concerns within a park as deemed necessary by the CCHD.

Inspection Frequency and fees

  1. All mobile home parks shall be inspected one (1) time per year at a minimum. More frequent inspection may be made as deemed necessary due to problems, complaints, etc.
  2. Fees for inspections, relocations, connections, etc… shall be determined by the CCHD and the CC Commissioners.

Closure of parks or connection to public sewer

  1. Any park closed and removed from service shall have the Operation Permit,Letter of Compliance revoked and voided. A closed park shall comply with the requirements of the CC Planning Department before application is considered for possible re-issuance of the Letter of Compliance. Parks closed due to court action or wastewater system problems shall not be considered for reopening unless all previous concerns have been corrected.
  2. Parks acquiring public sewer service shall have the CCHD Operation Permit revoked. Limitations on the property based on the subsurface wastewater system permits shall be void. All other environmental concerns would continue to be enforced by the CCHD, and the planning and/or building inspections program.

Referrals to other agencies

  1. Concerns with minimum Housing standards, solid waste concerns, public water supply, animal control issues, etc… shall be referred in writing to appropriate state and county agencies for assistance and investigation.

Reference:

  • Columbus County Health Department Environmental Health Policy Manual

EH MH, Campground, RV Park Policy102/08 (Rev. 0/00)

Policies Folder