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Locals call for meeting over controversial park

LANDRUM-Concerned citizens have called for a meeting with the Spartanburg County Planning Commission regarding the application of a proposed RV park off Landrum Mill road in an unincorporated section of Spartanburg County. 

The application for the park, which would be named T. Tree Farms, is being submitted by Blue Sky Associates, LLC. Located at 1970 Landrum Mill Road in Campobello, it would include 49 RV sites on 15.79 acres, with the entire parcel of land consisting of 38.6 acres total.

In March 2021, Blue Sky Associates was awarded conditional approval of the park. Some members of the community have been opposing it ever since.

In December 2021, a group of landowners who own property near the proposed site of the RV park successfully put in a request for the approval of the septic system to be rescinded due to safety concerns. Shortly after, the developer appealed the decision and won, claiming the request was not filed in proper time.

According to Judie Klapholz, one of the concerned citizens who opposes the development, the proposed site is surrounded by homes and property that are part of five different Homeowners Associations. 

Local residents have since appealed that decision and the case is pending. On February 7, the developer submitted another application to Spartanburg County, with this same septic system permit.

Now, many Landrum locals are attempting to block the application again, due to a variety of concerns. 

On February 28, 449 citizens submitted a 4-page request for a public hearing to the Spartanburg County Planning Commission.  

The document submitted to the Planning Commission states that citizens want to bring attention to “issues of an inadequate fire suppression plan, deficient septic permit, the undersized septic system, stormwater management, and risks to drinking water, residents’ wells, health, the environment, and more.”  

As of this writing, there has been no acknowledgment by the Commission of the request for the public hearing, prior to its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday.

In Blue Sky Associate’s own report, their traffic impact analysis projected that 75,000 vehicles per year (including large RVs) would travel to and from the park, which some citizens believe would add an alarming amount of traffic to the area.

In addition, a road safety audit performed by  engineer David Hyder of Teague Engineering, declared further concern about roads in and around the park, citing “roadways with steep grades, limited sight, sharp curves, no shoulders, and deep roadside ditches.” It added that the condition of these roads plus the new traffic “adds additional danger to already dangerous roads.” 

The group who oppose the RV park say the current proposal for the park’s new septic system is still inadequate. The septic system is projected to produce up to 2 million gallons worth of pollutants and waste per year. The citizens argue the waste has the potential to pollute nearby Gold Mine creek, which runs into the North Pacolet River and eventually into Spartanburg’s water reservoir.  

The Planning Commissioners regular monthly meeting will take place Tuesday, March 7 at 4:30 p.m., at the Spartanburg County Administration Building, located at 366 N. Church Street in Spartanburg. The meeting’s agenda currently states that the Planning and Development Department will recommend “conditional approval” of the RV park. 

This will be the second application filed by the property by Blue Sky Associates. Previously, the developer failed to meet the Planning Commission’s terms and conditions in 2021.

Tryon Daily Bulletin will have continuing coverage of this story.