BOC eases age restriction on mobile homes in medical hardship cases

Madison County commissioners agreed Dec. 7 to relax age restrictions on mobile homes moved into the county in cases of medical hardship. But once the medical hardship is over, the mobile home must be moved.

The county does not allow mobile homes over 12 years old to be moved into the county. However, a woman recently appeared before commissioners to ask permission to move her mobile home, which is over 12 years old, to the county so that she can live next to her ailing mother.

BOC members said they wanted to help the woman, but they didn’t want to open the door for misuse of the medical hardship exemption. For example, if a person is allowed to move a mobile home that does not meet the age requirement, what happens when the medical hardship is over? If the home stays, can the owner then use the trailer as rental property?

The woman who sought to move the trailer may eventually be able to rezone a separate lot to bring her home into compliance with county zoning regulations.

However, commissioners said they didn’t want to open up a backdoor way for rental homes to be placed in the county.

“You want to help people, but you don’t want it to be misused to establish rental properties,” said Commissioner Stanley Thomas.

Under current county guidelines, mobile homes over 12 years old that are moved into the county in cases of medical hardship should be moved within 60 days of the medical hardship ending.