OR 43 Provides certain minimum standards of construction & operation of Trailer Courts/CampsORDINANCE NO. 43
AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING CERTAIN-MINIMUM STANDARDS, PRO-
VISIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOE SAFE, SANITARY AND SUITABLE METHODS
OF CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF TRAILER COURTS AND TRAILER CAMPS;
PROHIBITING USE OF TRAILERS AS LIVING QUARTERS EXCEPT IN A LICENSED
TRAILER COURT OR CAMP; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING A
PENALTY OR FINE NOT TO EXCEED THE SUM OF $200.00 FOR EACH OFFENSE;
REPEALING CONFLICTING ORDINANCES AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
BE IT ORDAINEl) BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
COPPELL, TEXAS:
Section 1. PURPOSE AND INTENT: The purpose and intent
of this ordinance is to provide certain minimum standards, pro-
visions and requirements for safe, sanitary and suitable methods
of construction and operation of trailer courts and trailer camps
and to assure that trailer courts and trailer camps do not become
a menace to public health, morals, safety and welfare.
Section 2. DEFINITIONS: Unless otherwise expressly
stated, the following words and terms shall, for the purpose of
this ordinance, have the meanings indicated in this Section:
DEPENDENT HOUSE TRAILER - A dependent House Trailer means
a trailer which has neither sewer or water connections nor a flush
water closet, a tub or shower or a lavatory or sink within the
unit.
HOUSE TRAILER - A House Trailer is any vehicle used or
intended to be used as a conveyance upon the public streets or
highways, mad duly licensed as such, and shall include self-
propelled and non-self-propelled vehicles so designated, constructed,
reconstructed or added to by means of accessories in such manner
as will permit the occupancy thereof as a temporary dwelling or
sleeping place for one or more persons, and having no foundation
other than wheels, jacks or skirtings so arranged as to be intergral
to or portable by said house trailer.
TRAILER COURT OR TRAILER PARK - A trailer court or trailer
park is any lot, tract or parcel of land used in whole or part for
the accommodation of transients by the day or week, or for a longer
period of time with or without compensation and where parking
facilities are provided for one or more automobiles and house
trailers to be used for temporary dwellings.
INDEPENDENT HOUSE TRAILERS - An independent house trailer
means a trailer which has approved sewer and water connections to
accommodate and containing a flush water closet and a tub or
shower and a lavatory or sink within the unit.
OWNER - The word "Owner" shall be construed to mean any
person who has control, direction, maintenance or supervision of
an automobile trailer court or trailer camp, whether as owner or
otherwise.
STREET - The term "Street" or "Streets" as used in this
ordinance shall mean and include any street, alley, avenue, lane,
boulevard, drive, public place or highway commonly used for the
purpose of travel within the corporate limits of the City of
Coppell, Texas.
UNIT PLOT - A unit plot is that space of ground set aside
and permanently marked off as provided in Section 6 and designated
on the "Camp Plan" or "Site Plot Plan" as provided for under
Section 4 for occupancy by a parking space in a trailer camp or
court.
Section 3. BUILDING PERMITS REQUIRED: No person shall
erect or construct or proceed with the erection or construction of
any building or structure, nor add to, enlarge, improve, alter,
repair, convert, extend or demolish any building or structure or
any part thereof or install any plumbing, electrical or mechanical
equipment as part of a building or structure, or make any other
improvement in any building or structure or cause the same to be
done within a trailer court or camp as defined herein without first
obtaining a building permit therefor from the Building Inspector.
Section 4. APPLICATION FOR BUILDING PERMIT:
(a) To obtain a Building Permit as required by this or-
dinance, application therefor shall be filed with the Building
Inspector in writing on a form to be furnished for that purpose.
(b) Every application for a building permit shall be
accompanied by two (2) copies of plans and specifications and a
"Camp Plan" or "Site Plot Plan" showing the unit plots said trailer
court or trailer camp will consist of, together with the unit plot
which will be set aside for exclusive use of independent house
trailer; the location of the proposed buildings to be erected, and
all existing buildings, if any, on the property or premises. The
"Camp Plan" or "Site Plot Plan" shall also clearly indicate all
streets, roads, drives, property lines, administrative buildings,
toilet buildings, plumbing connections for independent house
trailers, accessory building and fences together with the necessary
space for parking passenger vehicles. Before proceeding with the
actual work of'constructing the trailer court or trailer camp, the
application shall have such plans approved by the Building Inspector.
(c) Plans shall be drawn to scale upon either substantial,
clean, colorless paper, or shall be good blueprints. All the
essential parts shall be drawn to a scale of not less than one-
eighth inch (1/8") to one (1) foot. Plans and specifications shall
be of sufficient clarity to indicate the nature and character of
the work proposed.
Section 5. LOCATION OF COURT: All land used as a trailer
court or trailer camp shall be located on a well-drained site of
ample size and in an area zoned for such use.
Section 6. TRAILER COURT OR TRAILER CAMP PLAN AND CON-
STRUCTION:
(a) Each unit plot for the accommodation of one house
trailer and automotive vehicle shall be not less than nine hundred
(900) square feet in size, which space shall be at least twenty-
five (25) feet wide and shall adjoin a road or driveway. Each
such unit plot shall be clearly defined on the ground by proper
permanent markers at each corner. The use of trailers provided
by the management at a trailer court or camp to create what is
commonly called a trailer city is hereby declared to be unlawful
as it is the intent of this ordinance to provide sanitary and
safe accommodations for persons who are considered transients to
use trailers owned by themselves as temporary dwellings.
(b) House trailers shall be so harbored on each unit
plot that there shall be at least a fifteen (15) foot clearance
between house trailers. No house trailer shall be located closer
than ten (10) feet from any property line bounding the park. Each
trailer space shall be provided with at least an 8' X 18' X 4" concrete slab.
(c) No building, structure or house trailer shall be
located nearer a public street than the building line as provided
in the Zoning Ordinance for the use district in which the premises
are located, and in no case shall such structure be set closer
than fifteen (15) feet to the front property line or closer than
ten (10) feet from any side street property line.
(d) The premises shall be surrounded by a wall or other
solid structure not less than three and one-half (3½) feet in
height with openings therein that are only necessary for entrance
and exit facilities. Provided, however, a fence of a type ap-
proved in writing by the Building Inspector of the City (or in the
absence of a Building Inspector, the City Council) may be used in
lieu of a solid structure or wall.
(e) Well-drained driveways which are paved in accor-
dance with City standards shall be provided in each court or park.
These driveways shall be not less than eighteen (18) feet in width,
and well marked in daytime and lighted at night and so located that
each unit of the court or camp is easily accessible. Lateral or
branch driveways less than fifty (50) feet in length may be not
less than ten (10) feet in width. All entrances and exits from the
premises shall be well marked and shall be located and so arranged
that they are easily controlled and easily supervised.
(f) Each site or tract of ground occupied by a trailer
court or trailer camp shall be a separate entity and shall contain
thereon the administrative facilities, service buildings, unit
plots and other facilities required herein. Only one electrical
service connection, water service connection or gas service con-
nection shall be permitted for each trailer court or camp, provided,
however, that sub-metering from such services to individual plots
may be provided at the option of the owner, and provided further
that the master meter for either electrical service, Water service
or gas service connection shall, at all times, be assigned to the
person, firm or corporation in whose name the permit for the
operation of the trailer court or camp has been granted.
Section 7. TOXLET BUILDINGS AND SANITARY FACILITXES:
(a) Each trailer court or camp shall be provided with a
toilet building for each sex, each of which toilet buildings shall
be located not more than two hundred (200) feet from any unit plot.
The toilet buildings shall be roofed and shall be provided with
light and ventilation by means of windows with an area of not less
than one-eighth (1/8) of the floor area of the room which they
serve. The openings shall be screened with mesh not less than
sixteen (16) per inch. The toilet building shall be provided with
artificial lights of not less than 75 watts which lights shall be
kept burning all the time at night. The toilet buildings shall
have floors and sidewalls to a height of six (6) inches of concrete
or other impervious material. Each of such buildings shall have
the following facilities as a minimum:
(1) One slop sink;
(2) Floor drain;
(3) Hot and cold running water;
(4)
One laundry tray for each fifteen (15) unit
plot shall be provided in a separate compart-
ment from the water closets and lavatories.
Automatic washing machines may be substituted
for each laundry tray required,
(b) In addition to the above mentioned facilities, the
toilet building for males shall contain the following minimum
facilities based upon the number of unit plots set aside for use
by house trailers:
(1)
One flush water closet for every
fifteen (15) unit plots or fraction
thereof.
(2) One urinal for every fifteen (15) unit
plots or fraction thereof.
(3) One lavatory or wash basin for every
ten (10) unit plots or fraction thereof.
(4) One shower bath for every ten (10) unit
plots or fraction thereof.
(c) Each toilet building for females shall P~ve the
following facilities based on the unit plots set aside for use by
house trailers:
(1) One flush water closet for every ten
(1) unit plots or fraction thereof.
(2) One lavatory or wash basin for every
ten (10) unit plots or fraction thereof.
(3) One shower bath for every ten (10) unit
plots or fraction thereof.
(d) All plumbing shall comply with the Plumbing Code of
the City of Coppell.
(e) Unit plots occupied by independent trailers which
have a minimum of one flush water closet, one tub or shower, and
one sink or lavatory integral within the unit shall be connected
to the public sewer through an approved sewer connection or other-
wise to an adequate septic tank constructed in accordance with
the requirements of the Health Department and provided with an
ample and adequate supply of water of safe, potable quality and
when such unit plot is set aside as provided in Section 4 for the
exclusive use of such trailer, such unit plot may be disregarded
in the counting of the unit plots for determining required
sanitary facilities in Paragraph (b) and (c) of this Section.
It is hereby declared to be unlawful to locate a depen-
dent trailer upon a unit plot unless the sanitary facilities
as required in Paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Section are sufficient
to accommodate such dependent trailer.
(f) Provided, however, that parts (a), (b) and (c) of
this Section shall not apply to any trailer court or camp
accommodating only "independent house trailers" as tha~ term is
defined herein.
Section 8. WATER SUPPLY: Each site used as a trailer
court or camp shall be supplied with water from the City of Coppell
water lines if such lines are within 150 feet of the site; other-
wise, they shall be provided with an ample and adequate supply of
water of safe, potable quality approved by the City Health Officer.
Water supply faucets shall be located not more than one hundred
(100) feet from any camping space.
Section 9. WASTE DISPOSAL:
(a) All waste water from trailer courts or camps
shall be wasted into a public sewer through an approved sewer con-
nection where within 150 feet of a public sewer, or otherwise to
an adequate septic tank constructed in accordance with the require-
ments of the Health Department.
(b) All garbage and trash shall be placed into
garbage cans with tops. A screened enclosure shall be provided
of sufficient size to accommodate all garbage cans. This screened
enclosure shall be equipped with a self-closing screen door and
the owner shall maintain this enclosure in a clean and sanitary
condition at all times.
(c) It shall be unlawful to permit garbage, waste
water or material from sinks, showers or other fixtures or utensils
in house trailers to be disposed of on any street or premises in
any other manner except as above provided.
Section 10. CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY: No building or
trailer court or camp or other permanent structure within the
meaning and scope of this ordinance shall be occupied in any part
thereof unless or until a Certificate of Occupancy shall be filed
by the owner or his agent with the Building Inspector who shall
cause an inspection to be made to determine whether the premises
comply with the requirements of this ordinance.
Section 11. LOCATION OF CONVEYANCES:
(a) No person shall park, place or locate any
automobile, truck, house car, trailer, trailer house or other unit
which is designed or used as living or sleeping quarters upon any
street or public park within the City for a longer period than
four hours.
(b) A house trailer space shall not be rented or
leased unless a license to operate a trailer court or camp has
been obtained by the owner as outlined herein.
(c) A small trailer used for traveling or hunting
may, when not in use for said purpose, be parked on the property
of the owner.
Section 12. LICENSE REQUIRED:
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to open,
maintain or operate within the City of Coppell a trailer court or
trailer camp, as defined in this ordinance, for use of transients
or other persons by the day or week, or for a longer period, for
or without compensation, without first having secured a license
from the City.
(b) Any person desiring to open, maintain or
operate a trailer court or camp shall make application for a license
to the Building Inspector on a form furnished by the City of Coppell.
Said application shall furnish complete information as to the owner-
ship and management and shall show the location within the City.
(C) The application referred to herein shall state
whether the applicant seeks to operate and maintain a trailer court
or trailer camp and it shall be accompanied by two (2) copies of
a "Camp Plan" or "Site Plot Plan" as provided in Section 4.
Section 13. LICENSE APPROVAL A~fl) ISSUANCE AND FEE:
Upon approval of the application provided for in Section
12 of this Ordinance, a license shall be issued upon payment of a
base fee of $2~.00 plus $5.00 for each unit space designated on
the plan of the trailer court or camp. This license shall be for
a period of one year and shall be payable in advance on January
first of each succeeding year after date of the first license.
The fee for the first license shall be prorated according to the
quarter of the calendar year in which the license is issued.
The base fee of $25.00 shall be paid only once in connection with
the issuance of tl~II~de'hse for the first year. Thereafter, the
annual license fee shall be $5.00 for each unit space designated
on the plan of the trailer c~u~'~'~r camp. If additional unit
spaces are to be used, an amended plan must be submitted and ap-
proved as in the case of a new trailer park being licensed for
the first time.
Section 14. MANAGEMENT: Each trailer court or trailer
camp shall have on the site an office in which shall be kept
copies of all records pertaining to the management and supervision
of the premises and such records shall always be available for in-
spection by a member of the State and County law enforcement agencies,
the Police Department, the Health Department, Building Inspector,
Fire Marshal and other agents of the City of Coppe11 authorized to
inspect.
Section 15. REGISTRATION OF GUESTS: It shall be the
duty of the owner of each trailer court or camp to keep a register
of all persons furnished acconnnodations. Said register shall in-
clude the names of all persons furnished accommodations, the per-
manent home addresses, the license numbers and makes of their
automobiles and trailers and the duration of their stay.
Section 16. PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE:
(a) Camp fires shall not be permitted;
(b)
The use and handling of gasoline or
flammable liquids shall conform to the
requirements of the Fire Code;
(e)
An adequate fire extinguisher shall be
provided for each ten unit plots or
fraction thereof.
Section 17. OCCUPANCY OF LIVING QUARTERS: It shall be
unlawful to use any unit plot for more than one family concurrently.
Section 18. ZONING: At the time of the passage of this
ordinance, the City of ~ does not have a Comprehensive Zoning
Ordinance, therefore, reference to such Zoning Ordinance as made
herein shall not be applicable until such an ordinance has been
adopted by the City. That from and after the passage of a Compre-
hensive Zoning Ordinance for the City of Coppell, it shall be
unlawful to use any property within the limits of the City for a
trailer camp or trailer court except in an area where such use is
permitted under such Zoning Ordinance of the City.
Section 19. INVALIDITY: If any section, paragraph,
subdivision, clause, phrase or provision of this ordinance shall
be adjudged invalid or held unconstitutional, the same shall not
affect the validity of this ordinance as a whole or any part or
provision thereof other than the part so decided to be invalid
or unconstitutional.
Section 20. PENALTY: Any person, firm or corporation
violating any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction in the Corporation
Court, shall be subject to a fine not to exceed the sum of $200.00
for each offense, and each and every day that said violation con-
tinues or is permitted to exist shall constitute a separate offense.
Section 21. REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES: That all
ordinances of the City of Coppell which conflict with the pro-
visions of this ordinance be, and the same are, hereby repealed.
Section 22. EMERGENCY: The fact that the present
regulations of the City of Coppell do not adequately regulate or
control the use of property for trailer camp and trailer court
purposes, and the need for such regulations, creates an urgency
and an emergency in the preservation of the public health, safety
and welfare and requires that this ordinance shall take effect
immediately from and after its passage, and publication of the
caption of said ordinance, as the law in such cases provides.
Texas,
DULY RECORDED:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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