Planning commission denies conditional use permit for proposed RV park at former Camp Hammond; matter moves to county commissioners

The Shawnee County Planning Commission voted to deny a conditional use permit application to convert the east side of the former Camp Hammond property into a year-round RV park and short-term-rental cabin facility.

The application proposed 43 RV sites and 12 cabins on about 119.1 acres, with cabins concentrated on the east side of the lake and RV sites located nearby. Staff described site utilities and operations in detail: cabins would include water, sewer and electric; RV sites would have water and electric hookups plus a centralized dump station; there would be no bathhouse or laundry facilities; maximum stays would be 30 nights with a required 5-night break before returning; bookings would be available online, by phone or in person; quiet hours were to be 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.; pets were to be leashed; a speed limit of 12 mph was proposed; and the applicant's business plan limited site access to designated routes.

Staff recommended approval with multiple conditions intended to address public-safety and infrastructure concerns. Conditions included: ensuring emergency-vehicle access adequate for fire apparatus up to 40 feet in length and 80,000 pounds (with documentation required by Shawnee Heights Fire District); designation of a 24-hour on-site or on-call manager with an up-to-date list of occupants available to emergency responders; identification and fire-district approval of severe weather shelters; installation and maintenance of a mass-notification/public-address system; coordination with cellular providers to ensure reliable 911 access if needed; coordination with Free State Electric Cooperative on electrical service; KDHE approval for wastewater lagoon locations; coordination with Douglas Rural Water District No. 3 on water service and any needed meters or infrastructure; coordination with Kanawaka Township (Douglas County) regarding road use and maintenance; and compliance with the applicant's submitted business plan and designated access-route map.

More than a dozen residents and landowners spoke in opposition at the public hearing. Speakers raised concerns about safety and traffic on narrow, low-water-bridge county roads; steep hills, winter slickness and low visibility; a lack of adequate water meters and water supply on the road; potential sewage/lagoon runoff into tributaries and Clinton Lake; noise and increased density; property-value impacts; liability and emergency-response times; and the possibility that the park could be used for worker housing rather than recreation. Several speakers said they had experienced trespass, trash and other impacts from prior uses on parts of the property.

The applicant, represented by Lee Hendricks (general counsel for the Bettis Companies), said the property predated countywide zoning, the owners sought a compatible recreational use for an underused property, they had consulted utility providers, and they were willing to modify the site map to show designated shelter locations and to use a southern approach route for site access (Stubs Road -> SE 60th Road -> Woodring Road). Hendricks asked the commission to reconsider staff's requirement for a mass-notification system and proposed relying on 24-hour on-site staff plus phone notification in lieu of fixed mass-notification infrastructure.

Commissioners questioned road conditions, water availability and emergency access. Staff said the application had been circulated to Shawnee County and Douglas County entities (including Mammoth Township and Kanawaka Township) and that staff had received four emails in the packet and a total of several letters; staff also confirmed outreach to utility providers and fire district representatives and listed the staff-recommended conditions.

After public comment, a commissioner moved to deny the conditional use permit and the commission seconded the motion. Roll-call voting in the transcript recorded multiple commissioners voting in favor of denial; staff summarized the result as "4 commissioners denying" and reminded the audience that this Planning Commission decision is a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners, which will make a final determination at a future hearing.

The Planning Commission's denial does not preclude the application from being considered by the Board of County Commissioners; staff indicated the item will appear on the Board's agenda for further consideration.