RV dealer Cody Doody has proposed relocating his business, Happy Times RV, from the I-95 corridor in St. George to Clinton, with plans for a dealership on roughly 5 acres and a retail strip center promoting an “outdoor, healthy lifestyle.”
The Clinton Planning Commission voted 5-0 on Aug. 11 to recommend the commercial zoning change to the City Council, which will need two readings before it becomes official. The earliest the first reading could occur is Sept. 14.
The proposed site sits on an 11-acre property at the intersection of Springdale Drive and Willard Road, across from Rosemont Cemetery and the National Guard Armory, and between Clinton High and Clinton Middle Schools, according to an article by Go Laurens.
The property is currently zoned residential. Doody presented his plans during a roughly 40-minute appearance before the commission, covering traffic, infrastructure, potential alcohol sales at a food court, and his vision for the development. The commission designated the meeting as a public hearing on the zoning request.
Doody, who said he has been in the RV business for 20 years — including time as a regional VP for Coachman — told the commission his current I-95 location is essentially “a salvage yard we have turned into a successful dealership.”
He wants to bring the operation to the Upstate because of affordability, saying land and development costs in Greenville “are crazy.”
He envisions the Clinton location growing into a 16-unit dealership, starting with himself and two employees making the move from St. George. He said he would encourage local hiring and eventually wants to expand into e-commerce.
The broader Outdoor Station concept would include a strip mall leasing retail space to businesses aligned with outdoor and active lifestyles.
Doody said the vision was shaped by his experience traveling the country, including a gathering-venue development on the Tampa riverfront.
If a food court moves forward, the commission raised questions about alcohol sales given the property’s proximity to schools.
Information presented at the hearing showed the farthest east corner of the property sits 998 feet from the nearest corner of Clinton High School’s property.
City regulations prohibit alcohol service within 300 feet of a school inside city limits.
The 11-acre site was part of a larger commercial re-zoning request that the commission rejected in December 2025.
City codes generally prohibit reconsidering the same property within 12 months, but the commission was advised this request could be permissible because it was brought by a different broker.
Doody told the commission he is not willing to move forward with land-clearing, design costs, or discussions with the SC Department of Transportation about access points off Willard Road and Springdale Drive until the zoning is settled.
A small city-owned sewer pump station on the property could service restrooms if fully developed.
Doody said Clinton reminds him of his hometown, Toccoa Falls, Georgia, and he expects the dealership to draw customers from Columbia and possibly as far as Charlotte.
He pointed to plans for a travel baseball complex and subdivision coming to land off I-26 as signs the area is positioned for growth.
“In 4-6 years, this place is going to boom, and with businesses coming in and the right caliber of businesses, it’s just a big opportunity, in my opinion, for this community,” he said.
The commission’s recommendation now moves to the Clinton City Council, which holds its regular meetings on the first Monday of each month.
The zoning change must pass two readings to take effect. No additional public hearings are required under city ordinance.
The proposal reflects a broader trend of RV dealers seeking more affordable markets outside established corridors as development costs in major metros climb.
