A discussion at a meeting of the Preston (Minnesota) City Council centered around the height, placement and definition of “green belt” and “periphery” as it relates to manufactured housing (MH). Tim Johnston owns one of the two MHCs in town, as fillmorecountyjournal informs MHProNews. He planted a green belt several years ago on the street side, but a neighbor across the street complained that it did not screen the community sufficiently.

City Attorney Dwight Luhmann researched other cities and came up with specific sizes of evergreen trees, a variety of shrubbery and trees that mature at different growing times and some cities that have no ordinances relating to screening MHCs. Preston’s current ordinance dates to 1971.

Councilman Robert Maust believes the word “adjacent” is more apropos, but that it does not refer to the street side of the community, only to either side. He does not see the need for street side screening. Luhmann agrees the current ordinance is vague and therefore difficult to enforce.

Police Chief Matt Schultz is concerned that a green belt might obscure traffic when entering the street from the MHC. Andy Bunge owns property abutting Johnston’s Mobile Home Park. He wants to build three duplexes on his land, suggested Johnston come up with a plan for the green belt, and says he is as concerned with the view for the residents of the MHC as he is for those outside the community.

Johnston said more plantings could make it impossible to move an MH out of the community without ripping up trees. A motion to table the issue was approved. ##

(Photo credit: Horizon Land Company–manufactured home)

Article submitted by Matthew J. Silver to Daily Business News-MHProNews.