Stillwater, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 134 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 134-12
Manufactured homes outside manufactured home parks
Operative Text
A. Prohibition of manufactured homes outside parks. No manufactured home may be placed at any location outside existing manufactured home parks effective the date of adoption of this chapter except as permitted in § 134-12G of this chapter. B. Requirements for qualification as a legal nonconforming use outside manufactured home parks. An existing manufactured home located outside a manufactured home park on the date of enactment of this chapter shall qualify for status as a legal nonconforming use, provided that: (1) The manufactured home unit was legally in existence and legally located in the Town prior to August 29, 1974; (2) The manufactured home was erected after August 29, 1974, and complied with existing Zoning regulations in effect at the time of installation at the current location, and obtained a Town of Stillwater building permit authorizing said manufactured home to be erected at its current location. C. Manufactured homes that fail to qualify for nonconforming status. (1) A manufactured home unit that fails to qualify as a legal nonconforming use shall: (a) Be relocated into a manufactured home park which complies with provisions of this chapter; or (b) Said manufactured home unit shall immediately be removed from the Town. (2) One extension of the time within which any such manufactured home unit must be relocated may be granted by the Code Enforcement Officer for a period not to exceed one year upon documentation provided by the applicant for the extension that compliance, other than relocation outside the Town, is not possible due to the fact that no manufactured home park within the Town which complies with the provisions of this chapter has a vacancy reasonably suitable for the subject manufactured home unit. D. General requirements for legal nonconforming manufactured homes outside manufactured home parks. (1) A manufactured home placed outside a manufactured home park, which qualifies as a legal nonconforming use at the time of the enactment of this chapter and occupied as a dwelling, may be continued to be used as a dwelling provided it meets all federal and state laws related to manufactured homes and all applicable parts of this regulation. (2) If the owner of the existing manufactured home desires to replace the manufactured home with another manufactured home on the same lot, he or she shall obtain a building permit and shall meet all of the following requirements: (a) All manufactured homes placed on individual lots shall be constructed and installed in compliance with all federal, state and Town of Stillwater laws and regulations for single-family homes. (b) The gross floor area of such manufactured home shall not be less than the existing home. (c) All manufactured homes shall have pitched roofs with a minimum pitch of four on 12 and all roof components shall be constructed as an integral part of the home by the manufacturer of the home. The roof components must have been included at the time the home was originally manufactured (not added on site). (d) No occupied manufactured home outside a manufactured home park shall be parked or placed nearer than: [1] A distance of at least 50 feet from the nearest right-of-way line of any public highway or street. [2] A distance of at least 20 feet from any adjacent property line. [3] Each manufactured home shall have at least 100 cubic feet of accessory storage space either in the basement (as defined in Chapter 210 , Zoning, of the Code of the Town of Stillwater) below the manufactured home or in an accessory building. E. Unoccupied manufactured homes. Any manufactured home, located outside a manufactured home park, that becomes unoccupied for a continuous period of 12 months for any reason, shall no longer be designated a legal nonconforming use, and be subject to the conditions of § 134-12C of this chapter. It is the owner's responsibility to provide proof of occupancy time periods when requested by the Code Enforcement Officer. F. Prohibition of Temporary Parking of manufactured homes on Public Streets. No occupied manufactured home shall be parked or allowed to remain upon any street, highway or other public place, except that emergency stopping or parking, when caused by mechanical failure, shall be permitted upon the shoulder of any street or highway for a period of not more than 72 hours; subject, however, to any prohibition or limitation imposed by other regulations or laws. G. Temporary use of a manufactured home after fire/natural disaster. When fire or natural disaster has rendered a single-family residence unfit for human habitation, the Code Enforcement Officer may issue a temporary permit to allow the use of a freestanding manufactured home on a single-family lot during reconstruction of the original residence subject to required water and sanitary facilities. Such temporary permit shall be effective for a maximum period of 12 months or until a certificate of occupancy is issued for the permanent structure, whichever occurs first, at which time the manufactured home must be removed. There will be no time extensions granted for renewal of a temporary permit.
Section 134-12 of the Stillwater, N.Y., Code of Ordinances establishes that manufactured homes generally may not be placed outside of existing manufactured home parks, with limited exceptions for homes that qualify as legal nonconforming uses or for temporary disaster-relief situations. A manufactured home qualifies as a legal nonconforming use only if it was legally in place before August 29, 1974, or was installed after that date in compliance with zoning rules and with a valid Town building permit. Homes that do not meet these criteria must be relocated to a compliant park or removed from the Town entirely, though a one-year extension may be available in certain circumstances.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators and owners of manufactured homes outside parks in Stillwater should confirm whether their unit qualifies as a legal nonconforming use under § 134-12B by verifying the home's installation date and permit history. Compliant operators of qualifying nonconforming homes generally maintain continuous occupancy, keep the unit in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and Town regulations, and obtain a building permit before replacing a unit — ensuring the replacement meets floor-area, roof-pitch, setback, and storage requirements set out in § 134-12D. Owners whose homes do not qualify, or whose units become vacant for 12 or more consecutive months, should be aware that the home loses its nonconforming status and becomes subject to the relocation or removal requirements of § 134-12C.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living in a manufactured home outside a park in Stillwater have an interest in knowing whether their home holds valid legal nonconforming status under § 134-12B, since a home that loses that status may be subject to relocation or removal under § 134-12C. If a Code Enforcement Officer raises questions about a home's status or occupancy, § 134-12E places the burden of proving occupancy on the owner, but tenants may wish to keep records of their residency as a practical matter. Tenants facing displacement related to this provision can explore their options by contacting the Town of Stillwater Code Enforcement Office, a local tenant-rights organization, or a housing attorney familiar with New York manufactured-home regulations.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
Rules and statutes cited by this regulation
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation