Prince George County’s Planning Commission recently reviewed a proposal that could introduce a new commercial recreational vehicle park in a rural part of the county.
During the September 24 meeting, commissioners examined a request to change the use of land currently designated for agriculture into a site for a 205-site RV campground.
County staff presented a location map, satellite imagery, and zoning information to contextualize the project.
The property, classified as A-1 agricultural land, sits within the county’s rural conservation area and is surrounded by similar agricultural parcels. This designation is consistent with the county’s comprehensive plan, which emphasizes preservation of agricultural land.
The proposal represents a departure from that designation and highlights a gap in Prince George County’s current zoning ordinance.
Officials noted that the county does not have a defined category for a commercial recreational vehicle park, leaving questions about how such developments should be classified and regulated under existing codes.
If approved, the project would add more than 200 campsites to the county, a potential shift in land use policy that may establish precedent for similar proposals.
According to the Citizen Portal, the Planning Commission did not vote on the matter during the September 24 session, instead continuing discussions on how to balance agricultural preservation with interest in new recreational and tourism-related facilities.
For business owners in the outdoor hospitality, RV, and campground industries, the deliberations in Prince George County illustrate the growing regulatory challenges tied to land use and zoning.
As interest in RV travel remains strong, projects such as this often hinge less on market demand than on how local zoning ordinances accommodate modern forms of outdoor hospitality.
Industry operators seeking to expand or develop in rural areas may need to engage proactively with county officials and planning commissions to ensure zoning frameworks evolve to recognize campgrounds and RV parks as distinct uses.
The outcome of Prince George County’s deliberations could provide insight into how other jurisdictions with predominantly agricultural zoning approach requests for campground development.