MVTAB Approves Plans For RV Park in Overton

By VERNON ROBISON

The Progress

The Moapa Valley Town Advisory Board (MVTAB) gave its blessing to plans for a new RV park to be built in Overton during a meeting held Wednesday evening, July 26.

The Overton Point RV Park; to be located on nine acres at the north side of Moapa Valley Blvd. in an empty corner lot just west of the North Shore Inn; is planned to feature 90 RV slots of various sizes, a 3,500 foot clubhouse, dog parks, children’s playground, a pool, pickleball courts and more.

Presenting the plans to the MVTAB was William J. Schlaf who was representing the Trust of his father William M. Schlaf which owns the property.

In the meeting, Schlaf said that his father, who passed away last September, had long owned this piece of property and had sought for an appropriate use for it. Schlaf added that he and his family had spent a good deal of time in the Moapa Valley community during his youth and had developed a love for its unique small-town feel.

“We have been approached over the past 15-20 years with a lot of different proposals of uses for that corner,” Schlaf said. “It is a beautiful corner, and an important part of the community. My dad recognized that, and he never wanted to have anyhing go in there that would not add to the community or that would become an eyesore.”

When the Point RV Park group proposed the current plan for this parcel, Schlaf said that it felt like a good fit with the community. He said that the property’s location right on the highway, and next door to the hotel, was ideal.

“It is a great use for this spot,” Schlaf said. “And I think that you are all going to be happy with the end product.”

Dave Johnson from The Point RV Group also spoke briefly to the board. Johnson said that he grew up in the Moapa Valley and has ancestral heritage in the area. “This community means a lot to me,” he said. “I wouldn’t be part of a project like this if I didn’t think it was going to help the community.”

Johnson showed photos of features of other Point RV Parks in the region including parks in Nampa, Idaho and Ontario Oregon – with plans for more parks being built in Utah, Idaho and Oregon. The photos showed well-planned and clean facilities with state-of-the-art amenities.

During public comment, Cindy Marquart, a neighbor to the south of the proposed facility, spoke in opposition to the idea. She expressed concern that the park would exacerbate the already-existing traffic problem at the intersection of Moapa Valley Blvd and Whitmore Street.

“School starts in two weeks and when it does I will barely be able to get out of that intersection with all the school buses,” Marquart said. “Now we want to add this to the mess! I am totally opposed to having an RV park in this spot.”

Marquart also expressed concerns about safety with school kids attempting to cross at that intersection.

In another comment, Overton resident Mendis Cooper was supportive of the project.
“I understand that there are some problems that need to be taken care of there,” Cooper said. “But that is not a reason to stop progress in this valley. I am confident that we have the ability to tackle those problems as they come along.”

Cooper added that he would prefer to see this facility built in that spot than to have the trash and weeds that have gathered in the vacant lot throughout the history of the parcel.

“We have a tendency in this valley of shooting down every project that comes along,” Cooper said. “I think it is time that we took a different attitude and try to improve the community. I am supportive of things happening here that will bring that improvement.”

Rick Houston, who also lives across the highway from the parcel, expressed support. He pointed out that the entrance and exit to the RV park was actually not coming off of the highway. Rather ingress and egress would take place off of LaPointe Street, the same road that accesses North Shore Inn. Houston said that it shouldn’t be a problem.

“I am actually into the RV lifestyle,” he added. “So I am saying that we should go for it. I think we can make it work.”

Johnson made an additional suggestion that the speed limit around the curve could be reduced from 45 to 35 miles per hour to alleviate hazards at the Whitmore corner.

Board members asked several questions about the nature of the proposed RV park.
MVTAB member Brian Burris observed that other major RV parks in the community have a 55+ age restriction in place. He asked if this park would have similar restrictions.

Johnson responded that the proposed facility would have no such restrictions. “In our amenities and everything else, we are looking to appeal to younger people and younger families,” he said.
MVTAB chairwoman asked if there were any plans to sell the RV slots in the park for permanent residency. Johnson responded that, as an RV park, all residents would be temporary residents in accordance with county code. It would not become a trailer park with permanent slots. County code states that the longest consecutive stay at such a park would be 9 months, he said.

MVTAB member Lois Hall pointed out that her own home and business is located directly across the street facing the parcel. “I do not see problems with this in getting my customers in and out,” she said. “We need this for development. It will bring people here. It will beautify that corner. And it will probably bring a couple of jobs to town. That is a good thing.”

The items before the board included a request to redesignate the land use category on the parcel from Corridor Mixed Use (CM) to Entertainment Mixed Use (EM) zoning; also a conforming zone change from a mix of residential and commercial zoning to a single Recreational Vehicle Park zone.

Finally the applicant was requesting a use permit for the park, some minor waivers of landscaping standards and approval on a design review.

Burris made the motion to approve all of these requests. The board adopted the motion with a unanimous vote.

The item is expected to be heard at the County Planning Commission on Aug. 15 in Las Vegas.

Click HERE to view the map