The following standards and requirements shall govern the design and development of a commercial campground or recreational vehicle park.
(A) A tract of land considered for a commercial campground or recreational vehicle park shall comprise an area of not less than five acres of gross development area.
(B) The maximum density allowed for the gross development area shall be 15 recreational vehicles sites per gross acre.
(C) Sites in a park shall be occupied only by camping units and tents suitable for temporary habitation and used for travel, vacation and recreation purposes.
(D) No camping unit or tent shall be used as a permanent place of abode, dwelling or business, or for indefinite periods of time. Camping units or tents shall not be on the site, whether occupied or not, for no more than 180 days during any 12-month period.
(E) No permanent external appurtenances such as carports, deck, cabanas or patios may be attached to any recreational vehicle.
(F) Any action towards removal of wheels of a recreational vehicle, except for temporary purposes of repair, or placement of the unit on a foundation is prohibited.
(G) Each recreational vehicle site shall have a minimum area of 1,400 square feet; provided that, sites devoted solely for tent camping shall have a minimum area of 750 square feet. Each site shall contain a stabilized vehicular parking pad of gravel, marl, paving or other suitable material.
(H) A minimum of 8% of the gross development area for the recreational vehicle park shall be set aside and developed as common open space areas for open or enclosed recreation facilities.
(I) Recreational vehicle sites and off-street parking spaces shall not be located within any required yard or setback. Where needed to enhance aesthetics or to ensure public safety, the recreational vehicle park shall be enclosed by a fence, wall, landscape screening, earth mounds or by other buffer designs required by the Board which will complement the landscape and assure compatibility with the adjacent environment.
(K) In connection with use of any recreational vehicle park, no parking, loading or maneuvering incidental to parking or loading shall be permitted on any public street, sidewalk, required buffer, right-of-way or on any public grounds, or on any private grounds not part of the park, unless the owner has given written permission for such use. Each park shall provide off-street parking, loading and maneuvering space, located and scaled so that the prohibitions above may be observed, and park owners shall be held responsible for violations of these requirements.
(L) At least one and one-half parking spaces shall be provided in the park per recreational vehicle site. At least one parking space shall be provided at each such site.
(M) All recreational vehicle parks shall be provided with safe and convenient vehicular access from an improved public street. It shall be the responsibility of the developer to provide the necessary access in all cases where there is no existing improved street or road connecting the park site with an improved existing public street or road.
(N) Streets in recreational vehicle parks shall be private, but shall be constructed with a stabilizing roadway of gravel, marl, paving or other suitable material, and shall meet the following minimum stabilized roadway width requirements:
(1) One way, no parking: 11 feet;
(2) One way, with parking on one side: 18 feet;
(3) Two way, no parking: 24 feet;
(4) Two way, with parking on one side: 26 feet; and
(5) Two way, with parking on both sides: 31 feet.
(O) Entrances and exits to recreational vehicle parks shall be designed for safe and convenient movement of traffic into and out of the park and to minimize marginal friction with free movement of traffic on adjacent streets. All traffic into or out of the park shall be through such entrances and exits. No entrances or exits shall require a turn at an acute angle for vehicles moving in the direction intended and radii of curbs and pavements at intersections shall be such to facilitate easy turning movements for vehicles with trailers attached. No entrance or exit from a park shall discharge traffic into any Class “R” District or platted residential subdivision nor require movement of traffic from the park through a Class “R” District or platted residential subdivision. The location and design of all intersections of such entrances or exits with public streets shall be approved by the County Engineer. If turning lanes or other forms of traffic controls are deemed necessary by the Board, the developer shall provide the necessary improvements, subject to approval of their location and design by the County Engineer.
(P) Condition of soil, groundwater level, drainage and topography shall not create hazards to the property or the health or safety of the occupants. The site shall not be exposed to objectionable smoke, noise, odors or other adverse influences, and no portion of the park subject to flooding, subsidence or erosion shall be used for any purpose which would expose persons or property to hazards.
(Q) Exposed ground surface in all parts of the park shall be paved, covered with stone screening, or other solid material, or protected with a vegetative growth capable of preventing soil erosion and objectionable dust. All areas not used for access, parking circulation, buildings or service shall be completely and permanently landscaped and the entire site maintained in good condition. Planting of trees and shrubs is required to the extent needed to provide for:
(1) Screening of objectionable views;
(2) Adequate shade; and
(3) A suitable setting for the park, as well as neighboring uses.
(R) Management headquarters, recreational facilities, toilets, dumping stations, showers, laundry facilities and other uses and structures customarily incidental to operation of a commercial campground and recreational vehicle park are permitted as accessory uses to the park. In addition, stores, restaurants, beauty parlors, barber shops, recreational vehicle storage areas and other convenience establishments may be permitted as accessory uses in commercial campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks where such uses are specifically approved by the Board, subject to the following restrictions.
(1) Such establishments and the parking areas primarily related to the operations shall not occupy more than 10% of the gross area of the park.
(2) All buildings shall be constructed in compliance with state and local codes and regulations.
(3) The structures housing such facilities shall not be directly accessible from any public street, but shall be accessible only from a street within the park.
(S) Cooking shelters, barbecue pits and fireplaces shall be located, constructed, maintained and used so as to minimize fire hazards and smoke nuisances both on the property on which it is used, and on neighboring property. No open fire shall be permitted, except in facilities provided; no open fire shall be left unattended, and no fuel shall be used or material burned which emits dense smoke or objectionable odors.
(T) (1) In recreational vehicle parks where recreational vehicle sites are leased or otherwise assigned on a long-term basis, the limits of each site shall be clearly marked on the ground by permanent steel or iron rods driven into the ground with the top of the of said rods being flush with the finish lot grade. Location of site limits on the ground shall be approximately the same as shown on the approved plans. The degree of accuracy obtainable by working with a scale on the plan and then a tape on the ground is acceptable.
(2) Precise engineering of site limits is not required either on the plans or on the ground. This is not to be construed as permitting sites of lesser size than the required minimum or permitting lesser yard or separation dimensions then set forth elsewhere in this section.
(U) Recreational vehicle sites intended solely for tent camping units shall be located in separate areas designated for tent camping only.
(V) The layout of a park shall be such the “destruction” of the natural vegetation and topography of the area is minimized.
(W) In addition to the foregoing, other conditions, requirements or limitations concerning the design, development and operation of a recreational vehicle park may be imposed as may be deemed necessary for the protection of adjacent properties and the public interest.
(Ord. passed - -2010) Penalty, see § 154.999