By JEFFERSON WEAVER
Staff Writer
Mobile homes brought into or moved within the Whiteville City limits will no longer face an age restriction.
The Whiteville City Council Tuesday night passed a heavily modified ordinance that bore little resemblance to the original proposed by City Manager Josh Ray and planner Lainie Johnston. The original ordinance came under fire from owners of mobile home parks who feared it was too restrictive.
Under the new rules, mobile homes must be able to pass inspection by the city building inspector before they can be occupied.
The original proposal, approved last month by council, called for a ban on mobile homes more than 10 years old without special permission. The proposed ordinance, which was created after city staff compared several similar ordinances in the area, was designed to reduce code enforcement problems in the future, Ray said.
Trailers would also have to meet federal wind zone two guidelines due to the county’s proximity to the coast.
Wind zone one requirements are the most restrictive, while level three requirements are approved only for inland areas not susceptible to hurricanes. Homes built after 1994 must be certified by the manufacturer to meet the federal guidelines.
City staff met with mobile home park owners – who could have been most affected by the ordinance change – who complained the ordinance would unfairly punish mobile home owners whose trailers were older, but in good condition. (See full story.)