Campground expansion granted conditional approval

The Warwick Town Planning Board granted conditional site plan approval and a special use permit to Warwick HG, LLC, for the expanded construction and use of a previously approved campground at the former Black Bear Campground, during its October 16 meeting. The company plans to expand the number of campsites at the campground, now known as Serenity Ridge at Warwick Campground from the previously approved 74 to 130 campsites. In addition, Warwick HG’s plans call for the addition of such amenities as a playground, recreation areas and a wading pool, as well as roadway improvements and an entrance gate.

The campground borders the village of Florida, which has caused some Florida residents, including Mayor Daniel Harter Jr., to speak out against the project. In a letter sent to the planning board and shared with The Warwick Advertiser, Harter said, “The village of Florida continues to be concerned as to the impacts of the proposed campground. Even with recent amendments to the Zoning Code, it remains unclear as to whether the Serenity Ridge proposal meets either the letter or the spirit of the Town’s code. In addition, it appears the applicant is seeking to take advantage of vagueness within the code to the detriment of the surrounding community. Our village engineer, Sean Hoffman, identified two points requiring clarification in his comment memorandum dated August 16, 2024. The first concerns whether the proposed vehicles meet the definition of a mobile home.

“To the best of our knowledge, neither the applicant nor the planning board has sought an interpretation of the building inspector. The building inspector, not the planning board, must provide the initial determination as to the intent and meaning of the zoning code. Such a determination is subject to appeal to the Zoning Board of Appeals. See Town Law § 267-a. These threshold issues must be adequately addressed before this Board can grant any form of approval. Whether the units are within the definition of ‘mobile homes’ as defined by Warwick’s code is an important distinction as mobile homes are generally prohibited in the Town, and the limited areas where they permitted, are regulated differently. See § 164-49. Likewise, whether the application meets the code’s stated intent of ‘exclusively for overnight and temporary vacation camping’ is met by the proposed scheme. Despite the code’s stated intent, the Applicant seeks to effectively achieve year around occupancy by listing different individuals as occupants, each with a separate 210-day period. I thank the Board for its continued consideration of the public comment.”

Other applications

During the meeting, the board reviewed plans for two companies hoping to build overnight accommodation in the town. One, Craven Peach Grove, LLC, is seeking site plan approval and a special use permit to construct a bed and breakfast with more than three bedrooms for rent on 17A near Pumpkin Hill Road. The applicant was asked to re-submit documents and a public hearing was scheduled for the next available planning board meeting. The other, Mountain Green Partners/Inn The Fields, is seeking site plan approval and a special use permit to build a 24-bedroom lodge on Hathorn Road. This applicant was also asked to re-submit documents and a public hearing was set for the next available agenda.

The board also reviewed Pine Island Solar’s application for site plan approval and a special use permit for the use and construction of a 3.5 MW-AC photovoltaic solar array to be situated on the northern side of County Highway 1. The planning board scheduled a site visit for November 2.