Mobile home
rule shouldn’t
be overturned

Whiteville City Council Tuesday night voted to revisit and possibly modify its recently adopted ordinance that prevents mobile homes more than 10 years old from being moved into the city.

The 10-year age limit was called “arbitrary,” but 10 years is actually generous. Other nearby towns, including Lake Waccamaw, have adopted ordinances that prevent mobile homes older than five years from being moved in. On first blush, it might seem that those who live in high-dollar homes are forcing the issue. But in reality, it’s people who are already living in the city’s mobile home parks who want it as badly as anyone.

People who choose to live in a municipality know they will pay more taxes. But one of the primary benefits of living in a municipality is zoning and code enforcement protection. Your investment supposedly will be protected because towns demand higher standards than rural areas, where there is often no zoning and spotty code enforcement.

Zoning protection and code enforcement should be expected from everyone, including the man who owns a $500,000 brick home and the one who owns a $50,000 manufactured home.

The two mobile home park owners who petitioned city council Tuesday night for a revisiting of the ordinance both have reputable operations. In most towns, however, there are those who do it right and those who don’t. Those who don’t are the problem.

Code enforcement is difficult, timely and expensive. The city just this week tore down two dilapidated homes made possible by grant monies, but ordinarily, the city recoups its money from a tear-down only when the property is sold.

That’s one reason why there are so many dilapidated homes around the city.

The ordinance, which council has already approved, doesn’t need revisiting. Council’s intent upon adoption of the ordinance was to prevent further deterioration of housing standards and property values – call it preventative medicine.

These are goals worth upholding.