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Board approves West Holdings RV park after debate over flood and septic risks
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Summary
Benton County Planning Board approved a revised West Holdings RV park for 65 sites in Siloam Springs despite residents' and watershed advocates raising floodplain, septic and water-quality concerns near the Illinois River; applicant said Arkansas Department of Health issued a no-comments letter and described a no-discharge advanced treatment system.
The Benton County Planning Board voted to approve the West Holdings site plan (case 25456) for a 65-site RV park at 17442 Kincheloe Road after extensive public comment about flood risk and wastewater near the Illinois River.
Neighbors and watershed advocates told the board they feared the proposal’s proximity to the river, potential road‑egress issues from Highway 412 and nutrient risks to downstream water supplies. "I'm not in favor of this RV park," said Cameron Slater, a nearby resident, citing uncertainty about chemical disposal from RV dump stations and a pending federal lawsuit over nutrient levels in the Illinois River. William Graff, another neighbor, said small existing RV sites along the corridor have become de facto permanent residences and urged the board to consider long-term density and runoff.
Applicant Bill Swope and engineering representatives responded that the proposal is substantially reduced from an earlier submittal — from roughly 140 spaces to 65 — and that the wastewater approach is an advanced, on-site treatment with no permitted discharge. "ADH has no comments on the proposed project at this time," the applicant said, adding the system is a "no discharge permit" setup that treats effluent and disposes of it by drip irrigation into the ground.
Board members pressed the applicant on flood elevations and safety. The applicant said the first RV site is at about elevation 985 and that their pad design exceeds Benton County's two‑foot above base flood elevation requirement (they reported being about 4 feet above the county minimum at the first site and said they would offer an additional foot of pad elevation above the county standard if requested). Several board members and residents asked whether raising pad elevations or moving sites away from the floodplain would be feasible; the applicant offered excavation of a detention pond and an elevated pad alternative.
Public commenters and a representative of the Illinois River Watershed Partnership recommended riparian enhancements, low‑impact development practices and dedicated funding for long‑term maintenance of any community wastewater system. "For those to be sustained in the long term is just dedicated funding set aside to make sure that those are maintained," Morgan Keeling of the Illinois River Watershed Partnership said.
After hearing questions and public comment, the board approved the site plan by roll call and asked the applicant to return with required permits and documentation, including the ADEQ/ADH permits, engineered floodplain details and a service letter from the electric provider. The board also asked staff to coordinate comments from Garver and technical review prior to final approval.
Next steps: the applicant will provide the outstanding engineering and permitting documentation, and staff will circulate engineering review comments and any required conditions before the final plat and building permits are issued.
