The Charlotte County Planning and Zoning Board voted 3-2 March 10 to approve amending current zoning for 33.66 acres in the eastern part of the county that could make way for an upscale recreational vehicle park.

The applicant, Paradise Palms LLC, requested the county to approve its planned development request for Paradise Palms RV park that would accommodate up to 138 recreational vehicles. Planned are a welcome center up to 8,250 square feet with a general store, a clubhouse with swimming pool, laundry and bathroom facilities and recreation courts.

The property consists of six lots located along the west side of U.S. 17, less than a mile north of Shell Creek. A bout half of the acreage is currently zoned for residential estate and the other half is zoned for commercial.

The Planning and Zoning Board is sending its recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners that will make the final decision at its April 22 meeting.

Paradise Palms LLC’s attorney Rob Berntsson, of the Big W law firm, said the project was a “great compromise” as it will be an upscale RV park while preserving wetlands and a scrub jay area. Although it was originally zoned for 16 residential homes, he doubted whether one would want to build a home along U.S. 17.

He also said without nearby water and sewer utilities, the portion of the acreage zoned for commercial development would not occur.

Paradise Palms LLC proposed an on-site well system for water and on-site septic systems to serve the RV park, since there is no local utility company able to service the area.

About a half dozen residents living in the vicinity and adjoining communities voiced their objections to the park.

Disagreeing with Berntsson, Chris Frohlich said the 16 residential estate homes that could be built on half the site would be outside of the flood zone and back up to a preserve. “It is a very, very desirable property,” he said.

He said the area is in a neighborhood that is expanding, and the RV park would prevent the Ridge Harbor neighborhood to the north from growing.

Justen Pace said he prefers 16 estate homes because some of the woods would be preserved whereas the RV park would clear trees on the property.

Traffic congestion from the RV park also was brought up by residents.

Camilla Spicer, who lives on Washington Loop Road, said it took her more than an hour to drive to the meeting in the Murdock section of Port Charlotte. “We don’t need any more traffic on 17,” she said.

The issues of utilities and drainage also arose.

County Principal Planner Jie Shao said the project was consistent with the county’s U.S. 17 Area Plan, where the county encourages developers and property owners to preserve and enhance the natural environment. The proposed development will preserve approximately 1.9 acres of on-site wetlands with a minimum 25-foot buffer.

Two of the parcels are located in areas of scrub jay habitat and 0.73 acres require no mitigation, while 0.67 acres do require mitigation, Shao said.

Area resident Courtney Mason, co-founder of No Tag Lakeside that has been fighting against another planned development that would relocate gopher tortoises and disturb wildlife, said Paradise Palms will take away more scrub jay habitat.

Meanwhile, some residents noted flooding during Hurricane Milton came close to the proposed project’s property. Planning and Zoning Board Chair Michael Gravesen said that on a “positive note,” in an area that could flood, the RV owners could move and escape the flooding.