A proposal to rezone 9.4 acres of land to build a recreational vehicle park won unanimous initial approval from the Brooksville City Council on Sept. 7 without a whisper of opposition.
The 5-0 vote followed a public hearing that drew no protest from local residents. The plan had support without modifications of the Brooksville Planning and Zoning Commission and acting City Manager Ron Snowberger. Officials found the plan is compatible with both the city’s Comprehensive Future Land-Use Plan and the properties that surround the parcel, which covers the southwest corner of the E. Jefferson Street-Emerson Road intersection. Therefore, the council is expected to give final approval to the plan during the Sept. 20 session unless any unforeseen issues surface.
Alan Garman reviewed the plan with council members on behalf of the property owners and applicants, Julian Exclusa and Dale Sieden of Tampa; the tract was annexed into the city Jan. 4, and was added to the South Brooksville Planned Development District two months later. The businessmen want to rezone the tract from Hernando County R-1C residential to City of Brooksville Planned Development Project-RV.
According to official documents, “Rose Rush RV Park” will include 53 RV homesites, or 6.12 units per acre. There will also be a 1,500-square-foot convenience store for park residents, an apartment for the park manager the same size, a 2,000-square-foot community center, a swimming pool and ball courts. The main access will be on E. Jefferson, with an extra exit located onto Emerson that can be used as an emergency entrance.
Garman stressed that all the environmental issues were being addressed, including measures to protect gopher tortoises, the only threatened species on the site. He noted the developers are also trying to preserve the trees on the site, adding, “We’ve saved 80 percent of them.”
Garman said the property lines bordering on neighboring lots will have a 15-foot buffer with an opaque fence and privacy landscaping. There will also be about a dozen parking spaces for visitors and the store.
City staffers indicated the park would use city water and sewer services without creating an excessive burden on either of the municipal facilities. The city also reports most of the property has a minimum potential to flood.
However, a southern section of the parcel has a slightly higher possibility of flooding that will be addressed by following state and local regulations governing floodplains and stormwater control: “In addition, there is a known wetland/surface water on the south side of this project,” the rezoning application states.
