New Campground and Store-Mission Rd-Public Hearings

[Willis]

Compatibility Assessment Hearings

River Country Store and Deli & Black Bear Camp & RV

May 30th 10AM and 2PM respectively
in the County Meeting Room below the Old Charles Town Library


River Country Store and Deli (former grammy's daycare)
2142 Mission Rd (1.7 Acres)
Country Store and Restaurant to include childrens play area, arcade, game room, party rental rooms and space or community events
Applicants: Renee and Wayne Moore-owners: Karen and Ronald Stegall


Black Bear Camp & RV (old log building by gate 2 mail boxes)
2128 Mission Rd (15.47 Acres)
Primitive camping, hiking, horseback riding/stables, biking, fishing, hunting, tubing, canoeing, rafting, and historic tourism.
Owner/applicants: Scott Bearup and Carroll Rice


Check with the Board of Zoning Appeals for more information:
Jennilee Hartman, Zoning Clerk
116 East Washington Street, 2nd Floor
P. O. Box 338
Charles Town, WV 25414
(304) 728-3228

[KatherineA]

Well, I think it would be a good thing - right now we have un policed camping and drinking and carrying on down at the boat ramp, maybe this would help with that. Probably bad competition for the former Weber's (now Foodway), but that can't be bad either. And, if they had an arcade, horses, biking, etc, it would be nice for local kids (and adults) to have a place like that to go hang out

[Girlyjeep]

Not a good thing for so many reasons. I would like to first look at the site plans (if they are available to the public) before explaining why.

[ministerswife]

Not a good thing for so many reasons. I would like to first look at the site plans (if they are available to the public) before explaining why.

Without more details, it's hard to assess the benefits or lack of them to the residents and public in general. I hope someone (or many persons) attend the hearing and keep the forum updated on the findings there. It seems that the site plans are a topic of the hearing, hopefully.

[KatherineA]

Not a good thing for so many reasons. I would like to first look at the site plans (if they are available to the public) before explaining why.

I'm interested to hear why you think it is bad - my first reaction was why not?
I realize it is close to that recreation/camping area used by, I think, River View Park. Is it too close to that back yard?

The only down side I could see is increased traffic, but the Wilderness Center and FLOC offer that, and hiking etc, and there is no outcry about that? they (FLOC and TWC) also lease areas to hunters, - no outcry about that -

Sorry, I am just not seeing some huge issue here so long as it is well run. the owners have already dramatically improved that property, stopped the littering at the mailbox and kept the parking area up. Why would that attitude change with even more of their money invested in this project?

[LFE]

My only problem with it is that I don't see bar or mud wrestling listed anywhere... :-)
- I'll let others post youtube videos of the later...

[c_and_j]

will they have atv parking?????????

[Wife v3.0]

I am just not seeing some huge issue here so long as it is well run. the owners have already dramatically improved that property, stopped the littering at the mailbox and kept the parking area up. Why would that attitude change with even more of their money invested in this project?

I agree! The ONLY Drawback may be people might actually have to stop..or slow down, at the Mission and L. Clubhouse intersection. There will be those, not familiar with the area,..or their oversized campers trying to navigate,..and there will be some car/pedestrian traffic at the store/deli, but The benefits surely outweigh those drawbacks. I for one think its great! We need more "convenience" and APPROPRIATE fun for our young people on our mountain.
Just keep up the good work at my mailbox area, and I'm a happy camper!!!
(though, my free Coke cap pilfering surely has diminished)

[Kensey]

I agree! The ONLY Drawback may be people might actually have to stop..or slow down, at the Mission and L. Clubhouse intersection. There will be those, not familiar with the area,..or their oversized campers trying to navigate,..

This is my main issue with the idea. Recreational/light retail activities, fine, even some primitive or cabin camping, but I think RVs are a bad, bad idea. I can just imagine some poor guy in an RV going out of control on Johnson's Hill, or blowing the stop sign at Gate 4, or just the general level of aggravation inherent in putting people unfamiliar with the area on Mission Road driving huge lumbering vehicles. (I well remember driving the U-Haul up here when we first moved in, it was not a fun experience.)

At minimum any RV accommodations would need their own ramp off Mission Road.

[LFE]

RV's, campers, trucks with trailors... heck, even tractor trailors make it in and out of Mission rd all the time with no problem.
Hopefully part of the planning efforts would include that they have enough room so larger vehicals can pull off Mission with no problem and have plenty of room to pull around within the grounds instead of having to back up blindly onto Mission.

[shannondale_dweller3]

It says "primitive camping" which to me means tent camping, not campers and especially not the big RVs right?

[Wife v3.0]

It says "primitive camping" which to me means tent camping, not campers and especially not the big RVs right?

Rereading that, yes, I believe you are right! By the very definition of primitive camping, I cant imagine there even being hook ups for RVs and such.
http://www.campingearth.com/primitivecamping/

[Tony]

It may say 'primitive' camping but it has 'RV' in the name which certainly implies facilities for RVs. They already have that "Sky Toilet" in place and I can only imagine how RVs are supposed to reach it - surely not on the one lane WMA road?

That little Grammy's house doesn't seem large enough to accommodate all that activity so I would imagine it will have to be demolished and replaced with a much larger facility.

[LFE]

1:17
Christmas Vacation - Sh*tter was full

[Willis]

They already have that "Sky Toilet" in place

The elevated structure to which Tony refers is not associated with the campground proposal. The latter is to be located on property on the Mission Road side of Furnace Run and the former has been built on property bounded by the DNR's Shannondale Springs Road, Furnace Run and the river. Confusion about descriptions related to "RV" and Primitive camping seem legit. There's a lot of difference between a "puptent" and a 55' fifth wheel camper Many questions may be answered by contacting the PC and by stopping by the property and speaking with Mr. Bearup, who has indicated to me that he would welcome meeting his new neighbors.

[Kensey]

RV's, campers, trucks with trailors... heck, even tractor trailors make it in and out of Mission rd all the time with no problem.

Almost all of those vehicles are being driven by people who either live here, or are familiar with the area, though. There's going to be a big safety margin between a semi driver who grew up in Shannondale, and some guy tooling up here from around where I grew up (flattest land anywhere near here) with a brand-new RV that the transmission's not even broken in on yet.

[micscott]

First off, Mr. Bearup is my father. (LOL) Please call me Scott. Anyone and everyone is welcome here anytime. I have a plat with the preliminary design of our proposal that is available to you (Shannondale) in my office for your viewing. There will be one available at the hearing also. Since we have taken over the property we have dramatically reduce the dumping that has taken place on the Shannondale Springs DNR access. I hope to keep that trend going. We have also taken over the mailboxes at gate two, also decreasing the amount of dumping taken place over the years. We have also contacted the DNR for there consent with open arms. They are generally excited to see this happen. DOH had me increase the turning radius for the ingress/egress to the mailboxes (gate 2) for the safety of the patrons. We have just received our USPS contract to also fix up the mailboxes some and maintenance the parking area. As you all see our intentions are true and just. We want to restore some of the family values that seem to have been lost duo to technology and the fast pace we call (life). WOW, the history if you may not know goes on forever and we would like to share this with the people of Shannondale and the surrounding area. Some of this history, will be talked about on the weakens by historians regarding the following topics from Lord Fairfax, George Washington, as many as 13 presidents, congressmen, senators, John Mosby and Mosby's raiders, the rambling casino, bath house, lovers leap, confederate out post and the huge part the Iron Furnace played during the building of Harpers Ferry and the ammunition Factory between 1780 & 1850. It is amazing thou that I have been approached by so many people that have lived here there entire lives and did not know the Iron Furnace was even here or I get (what the hell is that) LOL. It is very cool and we would like to restore it sometime down the road. In the mean while we plan on a play ground, horse back riding, tubing, canoing, fishing & fishing tournaments, cook offs, wine tasting and helping some of the local bands get there names out there all the while helping the local community by offering our kids seasonal work and a chance to get there feet wet in the working industry. I have two boys going to college, working full-time jobs and supporting this nation by being Marines so I do think that a idol mind is a wasted mind. In closing I would like to extend my hand out to Shannondale and the surrounding areas to stop down anytime for coffee and or general chat. I am open to all kinds of constructive criticism and ideas that you all may have for events that you would like to see. Like tours through the grounds of the rambling casino and bath house. I have 11 primitive sites proposed. We also plan on having a pavilion available for rent including a bath house for the customers in the near future. Although being on the river we can not build inside the FEMA Flood plain or we will have to elevate our accommodations to meet there requirements like my neighbors did. But it would be cool to have some tree houses for rent??? (Stop Down) We will be having an open forum on 5/17/12 between 7:00 PM & 8:00 PM here for anyone that can't make the meeting or has a concern or just would like to see how things have progressed.


Thanks for the support Shannondale

Scotty

[Sic semper tyrannis]

I like it, I think its a good idea to have some more activities up here and a restaurant would be nice; now if we can only get the folks at the lake to do something......

[Ricky]

For all of those who piss and moan that there aren't enough things to do or places of business on the mountain, this seems like it could begin to answer to your call.

[mamaje]

We have seen so much improvement in the mailbox area, and so nice to see the owners fixing up the old house and the driveway at our mailboxes. We think this will be a wonderful addition to the mountain. Would you rather they put in a big housing development? I am all for the primitive camping, hiking, horseback riding and river activities, and a little store would be great as well. Keep up the great work!!