RV park proposal for Dublin Hollow is withdrawn

A proposal to construct a recreational vehicle park in the Dublin Hollow section near Claytor Lake has been withdrawn.

The action comes less than a week after the proposal met with heavy opposition from residents of the area, and a 6-1 vote by the Pulaski County Planning Commission to recommend denial of a Special Use Permit that would have paved the way for the project.

Commissioners voted 6-1 at their meeting last Tuesday to recommend denial of a Special Use Permit being sought by Jeffrey K. Harman that would have allowed for  the park to be constructed on a 30.5-acre site near Blue Sky Lane off Wilderness Road near Dublin.

Only Commission Chairman Doug Warren voted to recommend approval of the permit.

The issue would have gone on to the Board of Supervisors for their consideration, likely at the board’s March 26 meeting. The supervisors could have accepted the commission’s recommendation to deny the SUP, or they could have approved it themselves.

Harman’s plan called for the creation of Blue Sky Lane RV Resort, which would have contained up to 150 campsites, a pool, playground, fire pits, paved camping pads, beach area at the lake, picnic shelter, game courts for basketball, volleyball and tennis, walking trails, a bath house, convenience store, multi-slip dock, dock ramp, fishing pier and other amenities.

The property in question is currently vacant and zoned for agriculture, a zoning designation that allows for an RV park – but only by a Special Use Permit (SUP).

 

During the public hearing portion of last Tuesday’s meeting, the proposal met with heavy opposition from several speakers as well as a slew of letters, emails and names on petitions asking the planning commission to reject the idea.

According to one of those opposed, Laura Bullard, 535 people had signed petitions in opposition to the project. She asked for those in attendance Tuesday night to stand if they were opposed.  Nearly everyone in the meeting room stood.

Reasons for opposition centered mainly around concerns over Blue Sky Lane leading to the resort being able to handle the number and size of vehicles to be attracted to the project – including RVs which can be over 8 feet wide and 45 feet long.

It was noted at the end of the paved, state maintained portion of Blue Sky Lane there is an estimated 270-degree turn from the state maintained portion of the roadway to a gravel portion which makes up the rest of Blue Sky Lane and leads into the area planned for the resort.

Safety for school buses and bicycle riders who frequent the area was also a concern – not only on Blue Sky Lane, but also on Wilderness Road and Hazel Hollow leading to the area.

Opponents also pointed to the fact Dublin Hollow is one of the most heavily used areas of Claytor Lake, and the fear the resort’s proposed docks would add to the traffic in the area and.

Opponents also expressed concerns over the environmental impact of the project on the area.

By Mike Williams, The Patriot