The Campbell County Planning and Zoning Commission approved a self-storage and oversized-vehicle storage development across from Campbell County High School.
The commission approved plans for self-storage buildings and a gravel lot for recreational vehicle and boat storage at the intersection of U.S. 27 and Lickert Road across from Campbell County High School. The site is nine acres, with the development site being approximately 4.7 acres.
The commission approved a zone map amendment for the development, changing it from a rural residential estate to a rural commercial zone. It also granted a variance for the gravel surface of the oversized vehicle storage.
The entrance driveway is at the top of Lickert Road and will have an automatic entrance gate.
Two neighboring residents spoke against the site at the meeting.
“The incoming and outgoing RVs and trailers will cause an increase in traffic on a rural road that was not designed for this type of use and create a safety risk,” said Wilma May Lauer. “I actually put my life in jeopardy trying to cross the road at rush hour or school times, as it is just to get to my mailbox.”
The applicant’s attorney, Jim Morgan, said the volume of traffic in that area is particularly heavy during the school season, which runs opposite to popular RV travel times.
“These recreational vehicles are parked for the great majority of the time in the winter, fall, early spring, the school time,” Morgan said. “When are they typically being used? Summer months, non-school time. I can tell you, from personal experience, that traffic out there is incredibly less from May to September when school’s out.”
The self-storage portion of the site is a 24/7 access with a key card.
David Barone, owner of Southern Campbell Recreational Storage, spoke at the meeting, not for or against the development, but from his experience as an owner of a similar development.
“There is a high demand for storage facilities,” Barone said. “I will tell you that right now, I’ve been in the business since 2000. Anytime that you have apartments, if you have housing developments with HOAs, you have to have places for campers. They won’t let you park in front of your house.”
Campbell County Planning and Zoning staff recommended sufficient landscaping along the site perimeter to help screen the development from adjacent residential sites and U.S. 27.
“The applicant has got absolutely no problems or concerns about meeting the conditions that are set out in the staff report,” said Morgan. “So, the things that were addressed there, that were recommended by staff, the applicant is fully on board.”
The zone change approval will go to the Campbell County Fiscal Court for final approval.
