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Applicant urges examiner to apply Pasco code literally, seeks approval for Wandering Juniper RV Park
Summary
Applicant for Wandering Juniper RV Park told the Hearing Examiner the 88‑lot proposal at 434 East Lewis Place complies with Pasco Municipal Code and that staff added extra requirements; staff recommended approval subject to conditions addressing spacing, circulation, open space, landscaping and coordination with the fire marshal.
The City of Pasco Hearing Examiner heard arguments May 13 over a special permit application (SP2026-004) for an 88‑lot recreational vehicle park proposed at 434 East Lewis Place.
Ivan Baragan, a City of Pasco planner, told the examiner staff finds the 5.01‑acre C‑3 site needs substantial site‑plan revisions before permits can issue. Staff flagged primary issues with unit spacing, internal circulation and safety, open‑space accessibility and whether required buffers may be counted toward open space. Baragan recommended approval only if the applicant meets conditions ensuring full compliance with Pasco Municipal Code standards prior to permit issuance.
John Schline, the applicant’s agent with B4 Development and Consulting, argued that the city’s staff report imposes requirements not contained in the adopted Pasco Municipal Code. Schline said the global definition of “open space” in PMC 25.15.170 (“an unoccupied space open to the sky on the same lot with a building”) permits counting clubhouse amenities, rooftop recreation, perimeter buffers and landscaped areas between RV pads toward the minimum open‑space requirement, and that the project’s clubhouse, dog park and rooftop pickleball court make the site eligible for the 15% open‑space threshold the code allows when qualifying amenities are provided. He urged the examiner to apply the plain text of the code rather than treat staff interpretation as binding.
On spacing, Schline and the project team said the spacing standards apply between vehicles rather than between pads; they described typical RV lengths and said the proposed 24‑ft pad widths and 45‑ft pad lengths meet the code when measured as the code intends. Civil engineer Scott Rivas and planner Liam Taylor of SCJ Alliance described several technical issues — hydrant counts, sight triangles and one‑way aisle configurations — as engineering items that can be resolved through coordination with the fire marshal and public works and through revised plan details, not as grounds for denying the special permit.
The examiner closed the public record for this item after hearing the applicant’s testimony and told parties he will issue a written decision within 10 working days.
Why it matters: The decision will determine whether Pasco’s interpretation of open‑space and circulation requirements for RV parks stands or whether the examiner adopts the applicant’s more literal reading of the municipal code. If approved, the project would add a new RV park with on‑site amenities and electric‑vehicle charging in a commercially zoned location.
Next steps: The Hearing Examiner said he will issue a written decision on SP2026‑004 within 10 working days.
