The Scotland County Planning and Zoning Board on Nov. 12 recommended that county commissioners not approve special use application 543-25, an application from applicants listed in the packet as Shashay and Harsh to develop an RV park at 13241 Highland Road (about 29 acres).

Public comment at the meeting featured multiple residents who said the site’s proposed layout and submitted materials were incomplete and that a 51‑site plan raised concerns about septic capacity, odor and flood risk. "I don't want no doo doo on me," resident Daniel June Campbell said, describing worries that septic tanks could overflow onto neighboring yards during heavy rain. Neighbor Kevin Minor told the board he was concerned the park would serve short-term construction workers tied to a proposed Amazon facility in the region and would become an eyesore once temporary demand subsided.

Board members and staff noted several items missing from the application packet: a detailed topographic survey (the ordinance requires contour intervals), an engineered septic/percolation plan, and required approvals for driveways from NCDOT. Staff explained applicants were seeking preliminary approval of a special use before securing state and county permits. Several members said the application in its current form did not give the board enough information to recommend approval.

A motion to recommend that the commissioners not approve the special use was made and seconded. The board recorded a voice vote and the motion passed; the chair explained the commissioners could overturn the board’s recommendation and urged residents to speak at the county commissioners meeting. The county’s planning staff noted the application can return to the board or go directly to the commissioners with supplementary materials; the transcript records the county commissioners meeting date referenced as Dec. 1.

The board also discussed ordinance details that would govern a resort campground, including the county’s limit on consecutive stays (ordinance 11.17.5(h) was mentioned) and site-plan requirements such as 5-foot contour intervals. Several board members suggested that background checks, site management and limits on length of stay could be imposed as conditions if a campground were approved, but they said the packet lacked the technical data needed to evaluate the plan.

Next steps: the board’s recommendation against approval will be included in the materials for the county commissioners; residents were invited to attend and speak at the commissioners’ meeting where the applicants may appear again.