Kinston to reconsider law on relocating old mobile homes

The Kinston City Council came up one vote short Monday of approving a change to city regulations that would allow a mobile home older than seven years to be moved out of a flood hazard area and placed on another lot within the city.

Four council members had to vote in favor of the proposed amendment to the city's Unified Development Ordinance to pass the amendment on first reading. Council members Jimmy Cousins, Alice Tingle and Robert A. Swinson IV voted for the amendment, while Councilman Joe Tyson voted against it. Councilman Van Braxton was not present at the meeting.

Currently, mobile homes older than 7 years cannot be moved anywhere within Kinston city limits. The proposed amendment would allow older mobile homes in the flood plain to be relocated to another lot within the city under certain conditions, Tommy Lee, Kinston's director of planning and inspections told the council.

Conditions under which the older homes could be moved include that the lot from which the home is moved cannot be developed in the future, or that the lot ownership is conveyed to the city.

Lee said that the intent of the amendment is to facilitate the purchase of some parcels within the flood plain using grant money from the state's Clean Water Trust Fund. He said he does not believe the change in regulations would impact more than 10 mobile homes.

"The way it is now," Lee said, "we are forcing people to remain in the flood zone because they can't afford to buy a new mobile home."

But Tyson refused to support the amendment, contending that over the years the city's policy has been not to allow older mobile homes to be moved within city limits.

'I'm totally against it," Tyson said. "For years we have not allowed people to do this.... In 1999 (after the floods) there were a number of individuals that wanted to move out of the flood area and we denied them the opportunity. This is being done now just for the convenience of the city."

Lee, however, said he has no knowledge of anyone ever being denied the opportunity to relocate out of the flood plain.

The ordinance will be considered again on a second reading when the council meets for its next regular meeting on Nov. 20.