RVers regularly complain about crowded campgrounds, rising rates, and popular sites that are difficult to reserve.
Building more RV parks would seem like an obvious answer. Yet recent proposals in Florida, Missouri, Colorado, Tennessee, and Texas have been denied, withdrawn, or met with determined opposition from nearby residents.
The projects are different, but the arguments against them are often similar: traffic, road safety, flooding, wastewater, environmental damage, and concerns that an RV park would change the character of the surrounding community.
Florida County Rejects a 28-Acre RV Park
One of the latest examples comes from North Merritt Island, Florida.
Brevard County commissioners denied requested land-use changes that would have allowed a 28-acre RV park near the Pine Island Conservation Area, according to a Florida Today report published by USA Today.
The former school district property was zoned primarily for government-managed or institutional use and single-family mobile homes. The developer wanted it changed to a commercial land-use designation and RV park zoning.
County documents identified several potential development constraints, including flood hazards, hydric soils that may indicate wetlands, and mapped habitat for protected species such as the Florida scrub jay. Opponents also argued that the proposed commercial use was not compatible with nearby residential areas.
Missouri RV Park Denied After a Split Vote
A proposed 97-site RV park in Imperial, Missouri, was denied after the Jefferson County Council split 3-3 on the rezoning request. County Executive Dennis Gannon broke the tie and sided with council members who opposed the development.
The project would have placed 97 concrete RV pads, a dog park, pickleball court, pond, and walking path on 17 acres along Jeffco Boulevard.
According to the Leader Publications report on the decision, one of the largest concerns was the proposed entrance. RVs would have entered and exited on an S-curve where the speed limit is 50 mph and no dedicated turn lane was planned.
One council member who voted against the project said her objection was based more on the location than on RV parks generally.
Colorado Commissioners Turn Down a Smaller Campground
Opposition is not limited to large RV resorts.
The Chaffee County Board of Commissioners in Colorado denied a permit for a 36-site campground on approximately 24 acres near the Pine Creek Trailhead north of Buena Vista.
During the public hearing, 19 county residents spoke against the proposal, according to Heart of the Rockies Radio. Commissioners then voted to deny the permit, ending the current application for that location.
Developer Withdraws 99-Site Florida Proposal
Another Florida project ended before city commissioners could cast a final vote.
A developer proposed placing up to 99 RV sites on 10 acres in Wildwood. A special magistrate recommended denial after hearing opposition from nearby residents, and the developer later withdrew the rezoning and comprehensive plan requests.
City planning staff had also recommended denial because of concerns about large RVs safely turning into the property. Two residents who spoke against the project were RV owners themselves, according to Villages-News. Their objections focused on the location and road design rather than opposition to RV travel.
Tennessee Planning Commission Recommends Denial
In Washington County, Tennessee, a landowner requested permission to turn more than 16 acres outside Jonesborough into an RV park.
The property would need to be rezoned from a general agricultural district to an agriculture-business district. The developer said the park would provide affordable accommodations for tourists, traveling medical workers, and East Tennessee State University students.
“This is farmland.”
The Washington County Regional Planning Commission voted on July 7 to recommend that the full County Commission deny the request, as reported by the Johnson City Press. The recommendation was not the final county decision.
Another Fight Is Still Playing Out in Texas
Near Lake Fort Phantom Hill in Abilene, a proposed 149-site RV park is facing opposition from residents concerned about traffic, lighting, noise, septic odors, and the effect on the surrounding residential area.
The developer has proposed a 300-foot buffer between RV sites and neighboring homes, privately maintained infrastructure, and nightly quiet hours. Supporters have also argued that the park would produce tourism and sales tax revenue.
The proposal still has another hurdle. The City of Abilene has scheduled a City Council hearing for August 13, 2026.
The Location May Matter More Than the RV Park
These cases do not prove that communities everywhere are rejecting campground development. They do show how quickly a proposal can fail when residents and officials believe the location cannot handle it.
Road access was central to the Missouri and Wildwood disputes. Environmental and flooding questions complicated the Merritt Island proposal. Agricultural land use was at issue in Tennessee, while residents near Abilene raised concerns about placing a large park beside established homes.
Developers also have reasonable arguments. New RV parks can provide tourism revenue, short-term accommodations, construction work, and more options for travelers. Buffers, quiet hours, private utilities, and limits on long-term stays can reduce some of the effects on nearby properties.
Those measures will not make every location suitable.
The challenge for developers is no longer just finding enough land to fit dozens or hundreds of RV sites. A viable property may also need safe road access, dependable water and sewer service, manageable environmental conditions, compatible zoning, and enough separation from nearby homes.
RVers may want more places to camp. Recent zoning fights show that the people asked to live next to those places may have very different plans for the land.
What About Public Campgrounds?
Public campgrounds are another part of the campsite supply, but expanding them involves a different process.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers alone manages more than 94,000 campsites at over 400 lake and river projects. New or expanded federal campgrounds generally require agency planning, environmental review, and opportunities for public input rather than the local rezoning decisions examined in this article. Public agencies can add or modernize campsites, but those projects do not replace the need for privately operated parks near cities, highways, and popular destinations.
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