As More RV Parks Move In, County Ups Regulations on Them
Fayette County Commissioners voted 4-0 to implement new land use regulations for RV parks at a meeting on Thursday, Jan. 14.
County Judge Joe Weber was absent from the meeting. The new regulations affect both existing and future RV parks in the unincorporated areas of Fayette County.
“This has been a pretty hot topic for our office,” said County Inspector Clint Sternadel at last Thursday’s meeting. “The RV park regulations that we had were pretty minimal, and we are seeing a whole lot of this kind of development coming to the area.”
The regulations will only apply to businesses that offer spaces for two or more recreational vehicles that are connected to utilities for compensation. The regulations will not apply to residential properties.
“People who want to have connections at their house for friends or family would not fall under anything crazy like this,” Sternadel said.
The regulation requires all new RV parks to install a sewage system appropriate to the number of RV spaces
“Previously that was not a requirement,” Sternadel said.
“We would have folks open an RV park and they had as many connections as they chose and they were not required to offer sewer. This has created quite an issue for our office to follow up on.”
Developers will have to submit to the County a sewage and wastewater disposal plan prepared by a professional engineer. Existing RV parks will be required to install or upgrade their septic systems within two years. The County will no longer allow RV parks that do not provide sewer connections.
All new RV parks will be required to supply water from a public water utility regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
“If they’re going to sell their utilities to the general public, then we will require they use a public water source,” Sternadel said.
Water wells will not be allowed for new RV parks unless the wells are drilled and completed according to TCEQ guidelines for a public water supply. Sternadel said such wells will likely be cost-prohibitive for most RV park developers.
Existing RV parks supplying water from a private well will be allowed to continue doing so. However, they must post signs to inform guests that the water does not come from a state-inspected public water supply.
The regulations approved last Thursday also require developers to file a plat prepared by a professional engineer or architect at the County Clerk’s Office. The plat must describe all of the RV spaces, swimming pools and other public areas, location of utility lines and interior roadways.
Developers must also obtain a floodplain permit from the County. Any areas developed inside the floodplain will have to be designed by a professional engineer or architect. An environmental impact study may also be required depending on the location, scale, and design of the development.
In addition, the new regulations require developers to obtain a County-issued 911 address registered to the name of the RV park. Developers will also have to consult with their County Commissioner or TxDOT to ensure the property has adequate road frontage for access.
If an existing RV park expands, the entire park will have to meet the new regulations.
“If they make any improvements, they’ll have to bring the whole place up to date,” said Pct. 1 Commissioner Jason McBroom.