Definitions were the focus of a recent meeting of the Warren County Planning & Zoning Commission.

The focus was defining what a manufactured home (or mobile home) is as well as defining industrial housing (like modular homes) and recreational vehicles.

The definitions had been altered between their prior approval by the commission and and a public meeting the Warren County Commissioners held last month.

“There were some objections made at the public hearing,” Zoning Officer Michael Lyon said. “They wanted a better definition of seasonal and temporary.

“This is not a regulation being considered,” County Planner Dan Glotz said. “We just needed to better define a couple of these things here.”

Lyon said that manufactured homes are intended to stay on their frame while industrial homes are placed on a foundation permanently.Glotz explained that part of the issue came about after someone ran into the manufactured home of a Mead Township man. Glotz said that the man wanted to put an RV in its place and live in that permanently. His officer told the man he could park the RV for 180 days and would require a zoning permit after that but building code officials said that a building permit could never be used for an RV.

He said it would be a “disservice to the public” to charge for a zoning permit knowing that the applicant in a situation like this couldn’t get a building permit.

An issue was also raised, he explained, that shapes the definition regarding whether mobile homes can be used for storage.

Glotz said that the Department of Environmental Protection and municipal sewage enforcement officers were consulted. Those sources recommended not permitting mobile homes to be used as storage out of the concern that the homes would eventually be connected to the sewer system. If multiple homes on the same lot were on the sewer system, the possibility of overcrowding the system would exist.

In defining “seasonal” for the use of RVs, the Commission agreed to define seasonal as a maximum of 180 days.

Officials acknowledged that’s tough to enforce.

“I think our backing for that is DEP regulations for sewage,” Glotz said.

Lyon said that the proposed definitions – which the commission unanimously approved – would be sent to the municipalities covered by the county’s zoning ordinance for comment.

Final approval rests with the Warren County Commissioners.