RV park on county agenda Tuesday

Citizens are invited to weigh in on a proposed RV and water park development at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The Nassau County Planning and Zoning Board will consider two applications from Angel Lakes Gated, Inc., owned by Callahan resident Ken Greene.

The first is a request to reclassify several parcels within the county’s comprehensive plan, including the former Deerfield Lakes Golf Course and lots surrounding it, totaling approximately 266 acres. The property is currently classified as low density residential on the Future Land Use Map and will change to recreation if approved.

The second consideration is to rezone the acreage from open rural and residential single family-two to a planned unit development. 

Greene first made this same request in November 2018, but numerous neighboring residents showed up to voice their dissent and the planning and zoning board denied the FLUM change by a split vote, which ultimately ended the PUD request. The Nassau County Commission later voted to uphold the P&Z board’s decision.

Since that application denial, Greene has bought out his former partner, Chad Grogan, and closed the 55-year-old golf course. He invited residents to a Sept. 30 meeting, which was attended by a total of approximately 45 people, including P&Z board members Jimmy L. Higginbotham and Charlie Gressman, who is a candidate for the 
District 5 seat on the Nassau County Commission in 2020.

Greene reiterated his plans to open an RV campground with a water park and other amenities available. He plans to name it Callahan Country RV Park and keep nine holes of the original golf course, with modifications to turn them into par three holes.

Roughly 85 acres of woods separate the property from its neighbors.

“These woods, we intend to keep all of these permanently in place as a preserve,” Greene said during the meeting. County drainage easements add distance between the property and its neighbors.

Greene also said later in the meeting that he would add more trees near a shallow border along Dornbush Road, near where he proposes the water park within what was the golf course’s driving range.

The tree buffer would become a preserve area with potential use as hiking and biking trails. He has repeatedly said ATVs would not be allowed.

Greene outlined plans for a maximum of 450 RV spaces and possible cabins, a 14-acre water park with a pool, lazy river and splash pads, two laundromats for guest use, a clubhouse and the possibility of a restaurant.

A self-contained water and wastewater treatment system would be constructed onsite and water and sewer hook-ups available at each RV site.

Greene said that the water park would likely close at dusk.

“Maybe we’d have it open for special events, but as far as the general public, I think dark or 9 o’clock.”

He added that the park’s entertainment would not include outdoor entertainment at night.

“At any of these campgrounds, people like it quiet really early, like 8:30, 9,” Greene said.

He added that campers would be limited to a maximum stay of four months and that he’s looked into conducting background checks of long-term campers to reduce the chance of sex offenders residing at the campground.

“I don’t want creeps out here either,” Greene said. “I haven’t done any statistics or anything like that, but the way I see it, the bad guys, usually, they’re not going to be able to afford a $250 or $300,000 camper or even an $80,000 camper because they usually don’t have regular jobs.”

With lifeguards on duty and at peak season, the park could employ 50-plus employees, with far less on staff in the colder months when only the campground and nine-hole golf course would be open.

Golf course and swimming pool use by local high school teams is something he would be willing to consider.

“Anything that we can do to bring the community in here – the local community – that’s what I’m looking for,” he said Sept. 30. “I will make money at this, but I’d also make money building houses. But the thing is, I really want to do this for Callahan, because Callahan needs something and I can provide it.”

The property is amidst single-family homes. When Greene first introduced his campground idea in 2018, residents were concerned about traffic.

Greene plans to construct a new road off Lem Turner between Deerfield and Serendipity Lane, lined with trees on both sides of the roadway into the campground.

“So basically, when you turn off Lem Turner, you won’t see another house,” Greene said. “It’ll look like you’re out 100 miles from anywhere. You won’t see any homes anywhere.”

The Florida Department of Transportation also requires a turn lane be constructed on Lem Turner Road at the campground’s entrance.

Tuesday night’s meeting will be held inside the county commission chambers at the James S. Page Governmental Complex, 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee. Those who wish to speak for or against Greene’s applications for the property will be required, if able, to stand at the podium and state their name and address, as well as their opinions on the matter.