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Cheatham County schedules July workshop after public debate over allowing campers, RVs in residential zones
Summary
At a May 12 workshop, county planning staff reviewed a rezone request and county zoning history on permitting campers and RVs as dwellings. After extensive public comment and staff background, commissioners agreed to schedule a July workshop to revisit rules on campers and RVs in residential districts.
County planning staff presented a rezone request from John and Debbie Harder for a 1.56-acre portion of Map 74, Parcel 14.06 (1560 Sam's Creek Road) and reviewed a decade of county resolutions and Board of Zoning Appeals decisions that have governed campers and RVs in residential zones.
The planner summarized the record: the commission sent camper/RV issues to a calendar-and-rules committee in 2013, directed a work session in 2014, and adopted a March/June 2014 resolution to enforce existing zoning. The staff presentation noted that the county's zoning resolution prohibits uses not permitted by right, accessory use, or special exception and that several Board of Zoning Appeals requests involving campers were denied because the use was not permitted.
Members of the public and commissioners questioned what would happen to vacant lots and whether campsites would depress the tax base or strain emergency services. A resident, Amanda Bell, urged caution: "I urge you to use caution on how we allow campers to come in to the area because that can get out of control very" (excerpt).
Commission action and next steps: After discussion the commission agreed to schedule a dedicated workshop in July to study potential changes to zoning rules on campers and RVs and to consider related amendments, including civil penalties and conditional-use procedures. The transcript records the commissioners deciding to place the topic on the July agenda (July 12 and July 14 were referenced) for a longer meeting with public input; no final ordinance or rezone approval was recorded in the May 12 transcript.
What the record does not show: The transcript did not include a formal vote on the Harder rezone application, the Board of Zoning Appeals' final orders for the earlier cases, or the exact text of any zoning amendment under consideration. Several technical constraints were noted by staff, including the county's requirement for 50 feet of road frontage or a dedicated easement before permitting, FEMA flood-elevation requirements for rebuilt homes, and that some existing campers predate current zoning.
Ending: Commissioners scheduled a July workshop to gather public input and examine proposed zoning language; staff said additional amendments (civil penalties, conditional uses) would be returned after the workshop.
