San Angelo Gives Mobile Home Dealers a Reasonable Exception

Clayton Homes on N. Bryant has a niche in the San Angelo oil boom: Pre-manufactured “man camps.” They’re actually plain ol' mobile homes, but the marketing twist may prove to be a profitable one, in addition to the more traditional variety of manufactured homes displayed on their lot.

Standing in the way of Clayton’s operation, however, was an old, arcane 1950s City of San Angelo ordinance that required all mobile homes to sport skirting to make them more aesthetically pleasing, and it even applied to model homes that are for sale.

Senior Planner with the city, Jeff Hintz told the Council that the manager of Clayton Homes approached the zoning enforcement personnel and said that it didn’t make sense to go to the trouble of skirting their model homes that are for sale. He viewed it as extra work.

Councilwoman Charlotte Farmer wasn’t immediately convinced. “I already see a loophole,” she said. Farmer’s concern was that anyone who didn’t want to comply with the skirting ordinance could simply place a “for sale” sign in their window and blight the neighborhood, exposing mobile home wheels and all.

Hintz pointed out to Farmer that the exception as written into the proposed ordinance only applied to licensed dealers. Farmer was satisfied with the specifications and the ordinance was passed by unanimous vote.

Now Clayton Homes can display mobile homes without skirts on its lot and not be in violation of city code.