The plans to improve Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Cranberry Acres in Carver, Massachusetts, are being reviewed by the Planning Board.
Jellystone has applied for a special permit and site plan review to enhance the camp–resort, as per a report. This includes a centralized wastewater treatment facility, a new set of water supply wells, and improved roadway access in a residential/agricultural district.
The project for the campground located at the Shoestring Road will take place in stages, according to Engineer Dick DeBenedictis of Webby Engineering, who is planning to lay the foundation for a waterpark exclusively for campers and not accessible to the general public.
Planning Board Chairman Bruce Maki stated that a traffic study has been completed and that the business hours are set for Saturdays. He stated that he does not expect to encounter any traffic issues.
“This park is kind of isolated, it’s out in the woods, Shoestring Road has to be a quarter of a mile to a half-mile long so there’s plenty of space for traffic to park or stop to register to go in,” he said.
Maki said he believes that this project is good for Carver, Carver businesses, as well as the owners of the park.
DeBenedictis hopes to receive approvals for the whole plan on Tuesday since the initial phase of wells and treatment plant must be completed by April 15 for the camp–resort to open and become financially viable. However, they plan to work within the board’s schedule for phase two the following year.
The public hearing’s continuation was set to 7 p.m. on February 8 with more information to be announced.
According to the report, Jellystone is waiting for an order of conditions for the Conservation Commission’s approval of the plans on January 19. However, the waterpark was not included in the plans as architects are working on the final design. Moreover, the water system must be online before work on the park could begin.