Members of the Planning and Zoning Commission approved a plan for a 3.3-acre recreational vehicle park on the south side of Roswell on Tuesday evening.
The owner, Jason Garcia, intends to allow up to 50 RVs to stay at the site in the 1500 block of South Sunset Avenue.
Garcia requested a zoning change that would allow this type of facility on that undeveloped land, which is currently slated for low-to-medium density dwellings known as Residential 2 (R-2).
He is asking for the location to be designated as a recreational vehicle park (RVP) zone. Development within this zone currently is for 5 to 9 dwellings per net acre, city staff explained.
This site is within an infill-redevelopment opportunities area. However, it’s also within a site the Federal Emergency Management Agency considers an Area of Special Flood Hazard, a 100-year flood zone with a 1% chance of flooding there eacg year.
“It will beautify the area,” Garcia told the commissioners. He said he wants to create an “upscale” place for RV travelers that’s safe and clean as they attend the UFO Festival, National Championship Air Races and visit during the peak travel season: In New Mexico that’s from June through September.
Garcia has a consultant who will help with the park’s design so that the limited space is used well. The drawings he submitted to the city are examples of RV parks of similar shape and size. This shows that when thoughtfully configured, the location could still look nice.
He emphasized that the submissions are to ”highlight the clean appearance” of having so many vehicles in a small space.
RV and campground development in Roswell requires at least 2 acres and an RV density of no more than 20 in each acre, for example. But Kampgrounds of America, Inc., a franchise of hundreds of private campgrounds across the country, recommends on its website at least 1 acre for no more than 10 campsites, and describes that measure as a “good general rule.”
Several people spoke against having this type of facility there. Reasons cited include traffic in the area moves fast and RVs aren’t nimble when entering or leaving the road; more people moving through the surrounding alleys where homes are already situated; that those nearby homes would decrease in value; more intoxicated drivers would be traveling in and out of the neighborhood; and noise would be coming from the location around the clock.
“In an RV park, just because (a person or sign) says ‘Nothing after 10 p.m., it doesn’t mean it won’t happen,’” said one of the project’s opponents.
“A lot of these issues brought forth should be addressed by the city council,” Garcia said in response. As a resident, “I have a vested interest in the city’s future.”
An ingress and egress would allow these large vehicles to pause until it’s safe to move. And the park would be monitored at all times, Garcia stressed.
City Engineer Louis Najar noted that perimeter fencing would “cut out the shortcuts” that already occur in that neighborhood from the alleys on each side of the location.
All six of the commissioners voted to approve this item. Adding an overnight accommodation would help special events, such as the air races, be more likely to succeed with more places to stay in Roswell than there are now because “the city doesn’t have enough hotels,” said Commissioner Alicia Gilmore, who OK’d the zoning change request.
“I’m in favor,” said Commissioner Steve Henderson, who lives close enough to have received a notification letter about Garcia’s plan. He asked if that disqualified him from participating in the item, but he was told by city staff that it didn’t. “Garcia will provide infill and a service to the community.”
Staff advised people who spoke against the agenda to file an appeal of the decision by noon today for the city councilors to consider.
