2 days Ago
CHATHAM — The Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors pushed back a vote on a massive overhaul to the zoning ordinance at Tuesday night’s meeting. The project to update the 33-year-old document has been in the works for more than two years. Not it’ll be January before a decision will come.
The revision process was started to not only bring the zoning ordinance in line with state code, but also as a way to streamline the cumbersome guide. The Berkley Group, a government consulting firm, is handling the project. Supervisors, in a 6-1 vote, decided to push the issue into the new year even before a public hearing started where speakers took issue with regulations for campgrounds.
It turns out the details residents pointed to in the draft document were items supervisors had asked to be changed, yet were never updated. Jeff Love, speaking on behalf of a local campground association, addresses the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday evening. “I’m not really comfortable voting on this tonight,” Vice Chair Robert Tucker said in making a motion to push the issue off until January.
“My position is we want to think through it so we don’t bind future boards because their attitudes may change and their appetite for certain things may change.” Vic Ingram, who represents the Tunstall District of the county, seconded the motion. “It’s quite a document,” Ingram said of the draft revision.
“There’s parts in there that I just don’t like.” Owners of campgrounds took issue with it. “There are different kinds of campgrounds,” Curtis Jefferson, who owns Paradise Lake Campground, said during the public hearing.
He said people aren’t coming to Pittsylvania County for a vacation. Instead, the folks who stay at the campgrounds are workers involved with development, such as building the new casino in Danville. The draft version only allowed people to stay at a campground for 180 days, something that was apparently at odds with what supervisors agreed to at a previous work session.
Tracy Love, who runs Leesville Lake Campground, said the regulation in the document would put an end to her dream to run the business. “The workers are a huge part of what keeps our business going right now,” she said. “I applaud you for putting a pause on the vote for tonight.
” Emily Ragsdale, county community development director, clarified what was supposed to be included in the draft zoning document surrounding campgrounds. Instead of a 180-day period, anyone may stay at a campground for up to a year. After that, they may remain at the same facility, but they need to move to another spot.
“You could stay for 12 years, you would just have to move spots,” she explained. Jeff Love, who said he talked on behalf of a local campground association, explained that temporary workers contribute to the local economy. “Our campgrounds are completely depending on transit workers to stay,” he told the board.
“The board and The Berkely Group are not campgrounds professionals and not qualified on how to run our business.” Charles Wilborn (434) 791-7976 [email protected] @CWilbornGDR on Twitter Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
{{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items..
