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Council approves small RV campground permit after residents urge denial over water and safety concerns
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Summary
The council granted a conditional‑use permit allowing Amy Webster to develop an eight‑space short‑term RV campground at 1333 East Stolly Park Road despite neighborhood objections about notification, groundwater and safety; council members who visited the site generally supported the proposal and framed it as limited and reversible.
The Grand Island City Council approved a conditional‑use permit on Feb. 10 allowing Amy Webster to develop a short‑term, eight‑space RV campground at 1333 East Stolly Park Road.
Planning staff explained the property is zoned Transitional Agriculture, where small RV parks are a permitted conditional use subject to council approval and conditions. The staff report and proposed resolution limit the site to eight pads, require improved RV pads (concrete or wheel track design), hookups for electric and wastewater (septic) meeting Department of Water, Energy and Environment requirements, and enhanced landscaping and fencing.
Neighbors Jeffrey Edwards and Tasha Edwards urged the council to deny the permit. Jeffrey Edwards said residents received little advance notice and expressed concern about the local well and possible impacts on water levels during drought. "We request that you do not approve it," he told the council, citing limited neighborhood notice and uncertainty about groundwater effects. Tasha Edwards, who said she keeps horses on adjacent property, said the short‑term nature of the campground means multiple unfamiliar guests will move in and out, and she described safety and privacy concerns.
Applicant Amy Webster, who said she lives on the property and keeps horses there, told council members she intends to run an upscale, short‑term facility for families and rural travelers and had consulted Department of Water, Energy and Environment staff. "It's a peaceful place, but also gives them great access to the amenities of Grand Island," Webster told the council, noting she plans enhanced landscaping and on‑site management.
Council discussion weighed neighborhood concerns against the site's limited scale and the ability to attach and enforce conditions. One council member noted that a conditional‑use permit can be revoked if conditions are not met. After discussion, Council president O'Neil moved to approve the permit; the motion was seconded and the council adopted the resolution to allow the eight‑space campground.
The permit includes the conditions noted by staff; neighbors were told they may report any violations and the council may revisit the permit if problems emerge.
