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The Warren County Zoning Board denied Tuesday, May 6, the rezoning request for a proposed campground near the Warren County Airport in Turtlecreek Twp.

The campsite had sparked a conflict between skydivers and nearby residents.

"I have nothing against skydiving or the airport," said Michael Killin, who organized the movement against the campground. "But I think that camping will disrupt the peace and quiet that we deserve in Turtlecreek Twp."

Killin said unauthorized camping has been happening at the proposed site since last summer. The Warren County Zoning Office inspected the area and found electric and water service had been installed in the area without any permits.

For the campground to be legal, the Warren County Zoning Board would have had to agree to change the zoning of the area. With the zoning request denied, the skydivers will have to stay at other lodgings farther away from the airport.

Killin, who lives near the proposed sight along Greentree Road, organized a petition with signatures from nearly every neighbor of the campsite opposing the zoning change. Killin cited loud, late-night activities that would stretch into the early morning hours, and a road ill-suited to handle the RV traffic. Killin also said the campsite would be a detriment to Lebanon businesses because it would deter the campers from using restaurants and lodging within the city.

"I support to growth in the township that is shown to provide a greater quality of life ... but fail to see how this benefits anyone living in the area," Killin wrote in a letter to the Warren County Regional Planning Commission.

Robert Henderson, who filed for the zoning change on behalf of Woodward Farms., Ltd., said the potential issues had been blown out of proportion.

"The campsite is in the middle of 150 acres," Henderson said. "I really don't think it will be a big deal."

While disapproving of the campsite in general, the Warren County Planning Commission agreed with this sentiment, noting in a letter to the Zoning Board, "If not for the complaints from adjoining residents, no one driving would perhaps even know that the campground exists."

Henderson said that generally only four or five groups would be staying at the campsite at anytime, even though in his application for zoning, he indicated there would be about 30 sites.

Henderson said if the proposed campsite had gone through, there would have been at most seven campers there at any given time.

"At most there will be seven campers there," Henderson said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4544 or jmcclelland@coxohio.com.

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