Cheatham County approves zoning change adding commercial campgrounds, approves Locker RV resort rezoning despite neighbors' objections

Cheatham County commissioners voted 8–4 on Feb. 27 to amend the county Zoning Resolution to add “Commercial Campgrounds and RV Parks” as a permitted use and, in a separate roll-call vote, to approve a zone change for developer Joey Locker to rezone three parcels on River Road from Agriculture to CMUPUD for a proposed Lockers Southern View Luxury Motorcoach Resort in the 5th Voting District.

The public hearing drew a dozen residents from the 5th District. Victor Scoggin (District 5) told the commission he believed the neighborhood did not support the RV park and expressed concern about the health of the river and wildlife if the area were developed. Several other residents — including Christopher Allen, Ashley Donis, Andrew Hostetler and Miranda Allen — raised concerns about traffic, safety and the location in a Special Flood Hazard Area. David Davidson submitted a signed petition that is on file with the county clerk.

Those speaking in favor of the rezoning included Jerome Terrell, the county’s Economic and Community Development director, who urged commissioners to consider the broader economic implications, and Misty Keenan, director of the Chamber of Commerce, who outlined an estimate of potential tax revenue and provided an update on traffic crash reports for the area. The developer, Joey Locker, and project civil engineer Seth Francis described the permitting and site plans the project team intends to pursue.

Commission debate included a motion to defer approval until a traffic study had been completed. That motion (moved by Commissioner Walter Weakley and seconded by Commissioner Eugene O. Evans Sr.) would have conditioned approval on a completed traffic study; it failed 4–8 on a roll-call vote. The main motion to approve the zone change then passed 8–4 (Yes: David Anderson, Bill Powers, Calton Blacker, Diana Pike Lovell, Tim Williamson, Chris Gilmore, B.J. Hudspeth, Mike Breedlove; No: Walter Weakley, Ann Jarreau, Eugene O. Evans Sr., James Hedgepath). The commission had earlier approved the zoning amendment adding campgrounds/RV parks as a permitted use by the same 8–4 margin.

The approved rezoning covers property the minutes record as within a Special Flood Hazard Area; county staff and applicants said permitting and further state and federal reviews would be necessary. County Attorney Michael Bligh advised the commission during the meeting that conditioning a rezoning on a study can amount to placing a condition on a zoning action; commissioners debated that procedural point during the roll-call votes.

What happens next: Commissioners’ approval changes the local zoning map and allows the applicant to pursue site plans and permits. Project proponents will need to secure required federal, state and county permits for development in a floodplain (if applicable), and the developer may still be required to submit any local traffic or environmental mitigation plans the county’s permitting and review process requires. The minutes record public concerns about traffic and river impacts but do not record a subsequent traffic study or any mitigation condition tied to the rezoning.