An attempt by Danny Wyant to site three new single-section manufactured homes (MH) on his mother’s property in Waynesboro, North Carolina is being met with stiff opposition from neighbors and the city council, even though Planning Director Michael Barnes said current ordinances do not prohibit the placement.
Siting of manufactured homes in that jurisdiction currently requires a special use permits on a case-by-case basis, according to timesleader, and Wyant received permission to place an MH in 1999 on a nearby street. In 2013 he was denied permission unless he wanted to site a multi-section home, which he said was not affordable.
There are rarely remonstrators at city council meetings, but this time citizens filled the seats armed with a petition bearing nearly 80 names opposed to Wyant’s proposal, as MHProNews has beene told. Neighbors claimed the MH would devalue the neighborhood of mostly single-family homes, and that the homes would be in an area prone to flooding.
Barnes said the city flood plain administrator okayed the homes, and that other MH have been approved in the neighborhood. One neighbor said it would be acceptable if he put a multi-section home on the property. Wyant intends to provide housing for a relative in one MH and rent the other two.
After the council voted to consider an ordinance denying his request at the next meeting, Wyant said, “What is different about this? It’s my understanding what you do for one you have to do for another.” ##
(Editor’s Note: Manufactured Housing Professionals need to sit up and take notice of the pattern reported in this local story, as it occurs in many states. Citizens and manufactured housing professionals may find some relief by pointing to the provisions of the federal Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000, which provides for ‘enhanced preemption.’ The MHIA of 2000 article, includes related downloads, and is linked here. The HUD letter issued in the Emily Goode v. City of Richland case may also be useful in addressing concerns with local jurisdictions, find the case described at the link here, and the HUD letter to that town, linked here.
On approaching such issues, CMHI president Jess Maxcy offered the guidance linked here. California passed a law that dealt with and technically settled this issue.)
(Photo credit: newsleader/Griffin Moores–Lisa Shifflett points to manufactured homes in the Waynesboro, NC neighborhood where Danny Wyant wants to site three MH.)
Article submitted by Matthew J. Silver to Daily Business News-MHProNews.