Supervisors Approve Ordinance Protecting Senior Mobile Parks from Conversion to Family Parks  

          About a year and a half ago, residents in the 185-space 55 and over Del Cielo Mobile Senior Home Park on Santa Maria Way received a surprise letter in their mail.  The park had been purchased by Harmony Communities based near Stockton, and residents were told the park would transition to a park of all ages.  

          Most of the residents were alarmed. Seniors from the Del Cielo and other over-55 communities asked the County to protect mobile home park seniors from developers like Harmony Communities from converting senior parks to all age parks.

        Among the complaints, elderly residents expressed concern about children playing on narrow streets, speeding drivers, noise, loss of access to the clubhouse, swimming pool and parking.      

On July 8th, after multiple hearings before the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, the Supervisors approved ordinances that aim to protect mobile home parks from being changed from age-restricted to all ages. 

“A park conversion represents a threat to public health, safety and welfare of the residents,” commented 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino at one of the hearings. 

          There are six mobile home parks in Orcutt that will be protected from conversion to an all-ages park.  Under terms of what is called an “overlay zone,” Knollwood Village, Quail Meadows East, Sunny Hills, Town and Country Mobile Estates, Orcutt Ranch Estates, and Del Cielo Mobile Estates will remain senior parks if “eighty percent of units are occupied by at least one person aged 55 years or older as their primary residence,” according to the terms of the overlay approved by the County Board of Supervisors on July 8th. 

           Lila Spring is a senior planner with the County Planning and Development.  She says the owner could have 100% of units with a person 55 years of age or older as a primary resident. “It’s up to the owner's discretion,” she said.

          “An overlay is where the County can apply protections on top of the zoning.  It’s just a different type of tool to add additional protections or requirements,” she explains.  

          Nick Ubaldi, who represents the new owners of Del Cielo Mobile Estates, has filed a lawsuit opposing the overlays.  At the July hearing he told the Supervisors, “We do not believe any park should be forced to discriminate against families or minority groups, especially when it comes to affordable housing.”             
Steve Southwick reporting