Scott County planning staff presented a substantially revised RV and RV campground ordinance and a density matrix intended to tailor permitted uses to road width, utility availability and site intensity. The planning commission forwarded the draft to the fiscal court and staff recommended first reading next Friday.

"Not all RV parks are created equal," Holden, planning staff, said while explaining a matrix that scales design and public‑safety requirements as park size increases. The ordinance would allow small, accessory RV uses on large agricultural parcels (A‑1 zoning) subject to a conditional use permit while larger, higher‑intensity campgrounds would require rezoning to A‑1R and full development‑plan review.

Sewer and liability: The draft requires RV campgrounds with private sanitary sewer to meet Warren‑County/Local Health District (WEDCO) standards and, before operation, to provide proof of a surety (bond) or insurance. Magistrates and public commenters pressed staff to prefer pollution/closure insurance (examples discussed: $1 million per occurrence and $3 million aggregate) and to add extended coverage in case a facility closes. Planning staff said WEDCO approval plus county authority to shut down a facility for noncompliance were already included; staff agreed to draft clearer insurance language for the next meeting.

Road safety and density: A public commenter who analyzed crash data urged raising the minimum road width for anything beyond accessory use. He presented a crash‑rate comparison showing higher incident rates on 18‑foot roads versus 19‑foot roads and recommended accessory uses only on 16–18‑foot roads and larger park densities require 19‑foot or wider access. Planning staff said the matrix can be amended to reflect court policy and offered to provide comparative data for roads serving existing campgrounds.

Soils and siting: The ordinance also addresses soils of statewide importance. Planning recommended allowing review where prime soils are "predominant" rather than the current code term "prevalent," a change intended to preserve staff and court discretion for siting in parts of the county where prime soils are widespread. The court asked staff to provide parcel‑level soils mapping for further review.

Easements and access: Magistrates raised concerns about allowing primary access to a campground through historic easements drafted for limited agricultural use. County counsel and staff agreed to research language that protects adjacent property owners’ rights while providing a process (impact analysis) when proposed access relies on existing easements.

Next steps: The court scheduled a first reading of the ordinance for the special meeting next Friday. Staff said if magistrates want amendments (insurance thresholds, the soils standard, road‑width thresholds or easement language) to propose them before the second reading.