PENDER COUNTY — Though concerns over road access mandated the bulk of the meeting, a 236-site RV campground plan passed the commissioners board this week in Pender County. The project is contingent upon a letter of map revision by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as part of the property is located in a special hazard flood zone.
The commissioners unanimously approved conditions of a special permit to allow the construction of the recreational vehicle park and campground; Commissioner Jimmy Tate was absent. Their decision came after a two-hour quasi judicial hearing — a proceeding that mimics court but is not held by a judicial body. A quasi-judicial hearing was required as the RV park, zoned Rural Agricultural for low-density residential development and limited non-residential uses, wants to build in a 100-year-old special hazard flood area which is typically not permitted.
“This site location is fantastic to take advantage of the opportunity for others to visit our community and participate in the game lands that are available right now,” Representative for the applicant, Sam Frank, said.
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The campground is on 52.16 acres, but only 32.2 acres will be disturbed. Each lot will be 21,000 square feet, over the Pender County’s required minimum lot size of 20,000 square feet.
Amenities will include a community bathhouse and a centrally located dumpster station. There will also be 21.73 acres of open space — 14.65 acres over what is required by Pender County. Community well and sewer service will be provided through onsite septic systems, equaling 23,600 gallons per day for the entire site.
The hearing only allows people with standing to speak — in this case two public commenters were present and sworn in. The board also has to follow strict rules, such as only considering materials presented during the hearing and acting as an impartial party.
If board members had any financial interest in the outcome — or a relationship with someone who did — they would have to recuse themselves from the hearing. Board members would also have to disclose if they communicated with affected parties outside of the hearing — including site visits.
Once the hearing began, Frank claimed the campground would bring more visitors to utilize gamelands in the county. Currently vacant, the RV Park is located off Shaw Highway, approximately 11 miles from Holly Shelter Game Land. He added that currently, there is not an opportunity for people to visit. Pender County Interim Planning Director Justin Brantley added the RV park is a good way to get people to come to the county and spend their money in the area.
Commissioners and two public speakers brought up the property’s access points and its impact on local home owners.
Robert and Doug Keenan own land adjacent to the proposed site and said Orchid Road is a private road used to access their homes. They worried the RV park would result in possible roadblocks to them entering their land.
“I have to share a road that I’ve used for 50 years now to access my property,” Robert Keenan said. “I have to use that same road. There’s no separate access that the applicant has to use for the benefit of its RV campsites.”
Orchid Road is proposed to be used as the main entrance to the site. Robert Keenan added, in its current condition, a single lane dirt road cannot have two cars on it at once.
According to the Pender County staff report, a portion of Orchid Road will be widened and surfaced with gravel.
Doug Keenan said he has been maintaining the road since he was 15 years old and fears the impacts the campsite could have on its use.
“We don’t know if there’s gonna be potholes. All the things that come with the amount of traffic — or proposed traffic — that’s coming in,” he said.
A traffic impact analysis was done and estimated a maximum of 746 daily trips with 38 trips at the AM peak hour and 61 during the PM peak hour.
While the Keenans were concerned over the road they had been maintaining for decades, Frank said Orchid Road is owned by the applicant.
“You didn’t hear Mr. Keenan tell you that this land owner is not allowed to use his own land, to use the road on it, because he can’t tell you that,” Frank said. “Obviously, Orchid Road is available to those who own the land, just as it may be to the people who own lots at the end of it.”
Commissioners had to decide on the permit according to eight conditions being met within county rules and regulations. One requirement is the proposed use not creating a nuisance or hazard.
Commissioner Beth Burns questioned the one-way in and out: “That to me would constitute a nuisance.”
Chairman Randy Burton disagreed: “I didn’t hear any testimony to the nuisance it would constitute.”
Commissioner Brent Springer concurred with Burns and suggested adding two ingress and egresses to be maintained for everyday use, agreed to by the applicant.
The Keenans also had concerns over the RV park possibly being used as affordable housing. For example, according to RV Park Rates, the average monthly cost to park an RV in North Carolina is $700. In comparison, apartments.com says the state’s average monthly rent is $1,357, making staying at an RV park the most affordable option.
The site plan says recreational vehicles are permitted to stay on the site for 180 days, but the Keenans wanted to bring it down to 30 days.
“What you’re really creating is permanent housing for people that cannot afford housing in Pender County,” Doug Keenan said.
Commissioner Brent Springer responded people can’t afford to build houses as prices rise. He said he was trying to be fair in weighing the RV park’s request.
“You just made my point,” Doug Keenan responded. “And the point is, you just said: ‘Hey, he’s bringing in affordable housing.’”
Frank pushed back on the dialog: “The operator of this space gets nothing out of allowing people to stay there for a long period of time and turning this into a more affordable place for folks to live indefinitely.”
Springer also wanted to know what management group would be in charge of the campsite and its effectiveness in managing the site. Frank said a management company is not yet in place but eventually will be, according to the property owner.
While commissioners approved the SUP conditions — such as no RV being in a special flood zone, no on-site freestanding lighting and and a 180 maximum for consecutive days spent at the campsite — the project remains contingent on a FEMA letter of map revision.
The Pender County Unified Development Ordinance bans recreational vehicle parks from being prohibited within the jurisdiction; however, a letter of map revision based on fill will be submitted to FEMA.
A LOMR-F is an official FEMA Letter of Map Change which says dirt, or other fill materials, have been used to raise a property above the base flood level. In order for the RV park to be constructed the LOMR-F would need to remove the Special Flood Hazard Area designation from parts of the site where RV lots are planned.
Project engineer Luke Menus said within the flood zone most areas would require zero to one foot of fill. He estimates the “very extreme edges” would require two to three feet of fill.
Notably, most of the RV spots are already located outside of the special hazard flood zone.
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