The Laconia Zoning Board of Adjustment will hear a request Tuesday evening from Sky View Acres for a special exception to develop an RV campground at 238 White Oaks Road, a 10.63-acre parcel where developer Peter Grenier’s previous plan for duplex housing was rejected last summer. The hearing, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, marks the latest chapter in a contentious development saga that has drawn sustained opposition from neighbors who say the rural residential area has already absorbed too much growth. Attorney John Cronin of Cronin, Bisson & Zalinsky represents the applicant in seeking approval for the campground, which would include RV spaces, a pool and other amenities on land currently occupied by a single-family home in disrepair, according to details in the application documents.
The campground proposal represents a significant pivot from Grenier’s original vision for the property. Sky View Acres initially sought to construct a colonial-style village featuring 11 structures containing 22 duplex homes with circular driveways. Public feedback and board members indicated the proposal was too dense and that duplex-style homes were inconsistent with the surrounding area’s character. The developer revised the project to feature single-family residences at reduced density, but select neighbors indicated they would oppose even that scaled-back version. Based on those comments and the clear signal that neighbors did not want housing on the property, the applicant changed course entirely.
The proposed campground would serve as a vacation destination with spaces for recreational vehicles, along with a pool and additional amenities. The property currently contains a single-family home that application documents describe as being in a state of disrepair. The development would transform the acreage from its current underutilized state into an active outdoor hospitality venue.
The majority of the property fronts White Oaks Road in the RR2 rural residential district, with portions extending into the rural residential corridor district. Campgrounds are not permitted by right in these zones but may be allowed through a special exception. The board’s decision will determine whether the project can advance to the planning board for site plan review or face another regulatory denial. Board members must evaluate whether the specific site is an appropriate location for the proposed use and whether the campground would adversely affect surrounding properties or values.
Neighbors remain firmly opposed to the campground plan, viewing it as another instance of overdevelopment along White Oaks Road. Julie Wirth, a White Oaks Road resident, said the project is incompatible with the neighborhood. “There’s been a lot of development on White Oaks Road overall,” Wirth said. “It just does not fit the area. Who would want a summer camp across from their house? To put a camp there just does not make sense.”
Wirth expressed hope that elected officials would weigh resident concerns heavily in their deliberations. “I’m hoping that the ZBA will listen to the residents,” she said.
Dean Ingram, another White Oaks Road resident, characterized the proposal harshly in a letter shared with The Laconia Daily Sun. “My wife and I are very upset by Mr. Grenier’s latest attempt to shoehorn another overly-dense development into our rural neighborhood,” Ingram wrote. “We understand that he has the right to propose anything that he wants to, we just hope and pray that common sense will prevail and the ZBA will deny this ridiculous idea.”
Alicia Emery, who lives near the property in a home she built in 2000, said zoning regulations exist for good reason. “It’s just a campground in the middle of single-family homes. It needs to be in accordance with the zoning,” Emery said. “There’s always going to be some development, but it’s just too much. It’s crazy. This whole area’s had enough of the overdevelopment. We just hope they’ll deny the request. We have zoning for a reason.”
Beyond concerns about density and neighborhood character, some residents have raised questions about the fate of the existing home on the property. Suzanne Ingram expressed sadness about its potential demolition in a letter provided to the newspaper. “It saddens me to think that the Dorothy Tourart home is going to be torn down,” she wrote. “It’s such a beautiful place. Seems like it would have some historic value too.”
Tuesday’s hearing will determine whether the campground can advance through the regulatory process or face another denial. The outcome will likely hinge on whether the applicant has adequately addressed the rural character concerns that neighbors have already articulated through multiple rounds of opposition.