Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wetland Impact Emergency Access topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Developer seeks feedback on narrow wetland impact for Pennington Bend RV resort access; commissioners ask for clearer alternatives and planting details
Summary
Northgate Resorts presented a preliminary plan April 21 to widen an existing farm road through about 0.09 acres of wetland to create a gated emergency access for a proposed RV campground at Pennington Bend; commissioners gave technical feedback and asked for more detailed exhibits.
At a preliminary review April 21, Northgate Resorts presented plans to widen an existing farm road to provide a 20‑foot gated emergency access for the proposed Bend RV campground. The developer, represented by Jubal Paris, described a narrowed proposal that pares wetland and floodplain impacts to a de‑minimis amount: a 0.09‑acre wetland removal and associated water‑quality buffer disturbance tied to widening the farm road to meet emergency‑vehicle standards.
Paris said the route uses an existing farm road and that the design team reduced earlier, larger impacts after coordination with TDEC and the U.S. Army Corps to reach the smallest possible wetlands footprint, asserting the road is needed so emergency vehicles would not have to pass through occupied RV lanes during a response.
Commissioners provided technical feedback rather than a final vote. Key staff and commissioners requested clearer exhibits and documentation for the next submission: (1) a high‑resolution exhibit showing exact wetland boundaries and the stream course; (2) cross sections of the existing farm road and the proposed widened section (including shoulder, side‑slope and culvert upgrades) to assess grading and structural adequacy under emergency vehicle loads; (3) written confirmation from the fire marshal of required roadway width and alternative routing options; and (4) a detailed mitigation and implementation plan for the 51 additional trees the applicant proposed (species, planting season, watering/maintenance and protection from campground use). Commissioners also asked the applicant to coordinate with Greenways on trail alignment and construction timing in relation to an eagle nest reported north of the property.
No formal action was taken: the presentation was preliminary and applicants were told to return with the technical exhibits and agency input requested by staff and commissioners.
