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Board requires conditional‑use review for campgrounds on agricultural land, sets 14‑night stay limit
Summary
The Board of Supervisors amended the zoning code to require conditional‑use permits for campgrounds in A‑1 agricultural zones, updated definitions, and restricted stays to a maximum of 14 nights within a 30‑day period. The planning commission recommended the change and the board approved it 5‑1.
On June 17 the Stafford County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance amendment changing how campgrounds are regulated in the A‑1 agricultural district: campgrounds that were previously allowed by‑right on parcels of at least 10 acres will now require a conditional‑use permit (CUP), and the county updated the definitions that apply to camping uses.
The new provisions also consolidate travel‑trailer and RV‑park definitions into the campground definition and add a new maximum stay limit: no campground occupant may stay more than 14 nights in any 30‑day period. That 14‑night limit mirrors the approach in Virginia state park regulations and was introduced after the planning commission’s subcommittee review.
Why it matters: Planning staff told supervisors that campgrounds vary widely — from primitive tent sites to RV parks with year‑round use — and that the CUP process gives the county a mechanism to review density, access, utilities, environmental impacts and public‑safety implications on a case‑by‑case basis. The amendment also aligns county regulation more closely with state permitting and public‑health rules.
Board action and implementation: The planning commission recommended approval 7‑0; the board approved the ordinance 5‑1 with one absence. County staff warned that adopting the change will render existing permitted campgrounds legally nonconforming for future expansions and that any applicant seeking to expand an existing site will need to pursue the CUP process.
Ending: The ordinance becomes part of the county code; staff said they will notify existing campground operators of the legal implications and the requirement to pursue a CUP for any expansion or change beyond current approvals.
