Commercial campground zoning is unsuitable
Dear Editor:
Regarding the “proposed amendment to the Blount County zoning regulations to address commercial campground and recreational vehicle parks.”
It is extremely important that all concerned citizens of Blount County pay attention to this proposed change in zoning regulations that goes before the County Commission agenda setting meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. ll. This proposal has bounced around and keeps coming back like a bad penny, with minimal and insignificant changes as suggested by various groups and citizens.
RV Parks and Campgrounds are high-density commercial developments, and should be confined to commercial zones. It’s that simple. The increased density of people and vehicles is what the R-1 zones were intended to protect. Noise, lights, traffic, water supply; sewage from so many people and vehicles in a rural area or community can present major nuisance and environmental degradation.
What will it do to the property values of neighbors? Is it the sort of thing you would like to have in your backyard? When you consider the scope of this proposal and the acreage of the county that could be affected, it becomes obvious how invasive this bill is and how adversely it would affect vast areas of the county.
It also flies in the face of the admonition of the Hunter Growth Study to protect our main scenic corridors from sprawl.
As written this bill would allow for developments more like mobile home parks than recreational campgrounds. This proposal has not been thought out with the general population in mind. It is fraught with negative unintended consequences and the principles of Quality Growth which The Raven Society and a majority of Blount County citizens support. The Planning Commission needs to go back and start from scratch on this issue.
Brad Ansley, Chairman
The Raven Society
7360 Happy Valley Road
Tallassee, TN 37878
