State mobile home rule may impact Franklin County more than first thought

            Franklin County may have been misinterpreting state mobile home rules over the past 20 years and are now trying to clarify whether they can allow any new mobile homes within 1500 feet of the bay.

About 20 years ago, the state passed a requirement that mobile homes placed within 1500 feet of the shoreline be built to a higher standard called Exposure D.

Mobile homes that fall into that category are required to be built stronger than most mobile homes and also have additional tie down and foundation requirements that make them more expensive.

Franklin County has always interpreted the rule as being 1500 feet from the Gulf of Mexico, which means it has not had a major impact on mobile homes on the mainland.

However, the county was recently informed that their interpretation is not correct and the rule covers any mobile home with 1500 feet of any water body, including the Apalachicola Bay.

That interpretation would impact almost every mobile home in the county plus undeveloped lots that are zoned for mobile homes.

Existing mobile homes would be grandfathered in, but most new mobile homes would have to meet the stricter Exposure D requirements, or the county would have to accept liability for allowing the mobile homes there.

At this point the county has passed the issue on to the County attorney for his recommendation.

He will report his findings at the Commission meeting next week.

The county will also seek an officials statement from the Department of Motor Vehicles which oversees mobile homes in the state.

Meanwhile there are at least 2 people who have applied to move existing mobile homes into the affected area.

Commissioners say those people will have to wait until the county attorney has completed his assessment.

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