Weiser P&Z to hold public hearing for RV park on Feb. 21
By:
Philip A. Janquart
Editor/Reporter
Full hook-ups and laundry facilities in proposed plans
The Weiser Planning and Zoning Commission has scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday, Feb. 21 to receive comments on requests related to a proposed RV park.
The hearing begins at 7 p.m. within Weiser City Hall’s council chambers, located at 55 W. Idaho St.
Parker Properties, LLC is seeking annexation of 12.85 acres of land on the east side of Highway 95, south of the Weiser River.
The request includes a C-1 commercial zoning designation and conditional use permit for the proposed “Weiser RV Park.”
The A-1 ag land, which was put up for sale last year and was once utilized as a music festival venue, would accommodate over 100 RVs and trailers, and include spaces for tent camping, according to Jay Walker, a spokesman for the project.
Other accommodations would include fiber communications, water, sewer, and power. The RVing term is “full hook-up.”
Individual spaces would range from 55 to 75 feet in length and be approximately 24-feet wide, accommodating various classes of RVs and pull-behind trailers.
Also planned is a 10-foot-wide pathway along 95 that would connect to the Weiser River Trail, open spaces, and a clubhouse with laundry facilities.
“There will be a little grass area (between spaces) and perma-bark area to set up for dinners and outside picnicking,” Walker said in a phone interview on Friday. “That’s what we anticipate.”
He added that it is possible reservations would eventually be required to stay at the park.
“We feel this is a great location at the base of the Weiser River Trail,” he said. “There is 55 miles of trail, and this is the very southwesterly end of it. We just feel there will be a demand for it; and if there is a demand, there could be a waiting list and a reservation requirement just out of necessity.”
Over the last three years, RVing has grown in popularity, in part, due to quarantines during the pandemic that forced many Americans to venture outside the box when planning vacations. People also turned to outdoor activities to pass the time, resulting in a sudden surge of campers on the road. Manufacturers, on the whole, have recorded a record number of sales between 2020 and 2022, according to Forbes Magazine.
Other industry growth factors include remote-based jobs, pet-friendly travel, and millennial interest, with many young people and families seeking “life beyond the norm.”
At both state and private parks across the country, RVers often must make reservations months in advance. At South Beach State Park in Newport, Ore., for example, guests must make reservations at least six months in advance to secure a site.
Walker said a price range has yet to be determined. Site fees can range from park to park. For perspective, the fee is $35 per night at South Beach State Park for a full hook-up RV pad. A full hook-up pad for Idaho residents at Ponderosa State Park in McCall is $32 per night and $64 per night for non-residents, according to the park’s website.
Flood plain problems?
The parcel of land being considered for the Weiser RV Park is within a flood plain. Under FEMA rules, according to Walker, RV parks are allowed in flood plains because RVs and trailers are mobile. It is not clear how the City of Weiser treats the issue within its code. Walker said the park wouldn’t operate during flood season.
“We’ve got to have an emergency exit plan and we need to provide for anchoring on individual sites,” he said. “And we won’t be changing the grade, so there will probably be seasonal limitations.”
The public is encouraged to attend the Feb. 21 hearing. Written comments must be submitted to the city seven days prior to the hearing date. For more information, call Weiser City Hall at (208) 414-1965 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
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Signal American
18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
PH: (208) 549-1717
FAX: (208) 549-1718
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