Aileen Curfman, Conservation Chair, sends the following message to West Virginia Sierra Club Members
The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources has accepted several proposals to develop a large RV park at Cacapon State Resort Park.
Proposal 1 contains two options. One option would offer 240 RV spaces, and the other would create 350 spaces. The tranquil upper lake would be transformed into an “amenities area” for use by RV park visitors. This 6 acre lake would get a swimming beach, kayak rentals, and an Aquabana, an inflatable pool float large enough to hold a group of people. The surrounding area would offer mini golf, a mountain bike training center, and food vendor trucks. This proposal also includes a plan for a Snowflex on the mountainside. The trees would be cut, the rocky terrain smoothed out, and an artificial material would be applied so that guests could ski or ski board year round. Access to amenities would be limited to RV park visitors. Day passes are mentioned as a possibility, but no plan for day pass use is included in the proposal.
Proposal 2 includes 50 RV spaces in a location that would obliterate existing trails. This proposal calls for an Airsoft field where teams of participants would engage in mock combat using realistic guns. Shuttle buses would provide transportation for mountain bikers within the park and into Berkeley Springs. The proposal is only a proposal to manage the facilities. The park would have to build them.
Proposal 3 does not include an RV park on the park property. Instead, this proposal calls for a “collaborative relationship that features a revenue-sharing component” between the state park and a privately owned RV park that is being planned for a location near the park. This RV park will be part of a well-known national franchise and has been working with the franchise to ensure that the park will meet the franchise’s high standards. The developer of the RV park would work with the park to create a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Read about the three proposals here: https://wvstateparks.com/bids-and-procurement/
The park’s visitors and neighbors have expressed several concerns–
–The West Virginia State Parks system’s mission statement is “to promote conservation by preserving and protecting natural areas of unique or exceptional scenic, scientific, cultural, archaeological, or historical significance and to provide outdoor recreational opportunities for the citizens of this state and its visitors.” Our parks are not intended to be profit-making ventures.
–The role of state government should not be to promote a private business while creating competition for other private businesses.
–Development of an RV park and amusements would result in destruction of natural areas. Trees would be cut, slopes and ravines would be altered, areas of the forest floor would be replaced with hard surfaces, while other areas would be subject to trampling of vegetation.
–Current users of the park will lose the tranquil environment enjoyed by anglers, hikers, mountain bikers and visitors to the lodge and cabins.
–The proposals do not include provisions that offer a peaceful, relaxing traditional camping experience for tent campers.
–The median household income for Morgan County is $58,460. Will local people be able to afford these amenities? Or will their local state park become a playground for visitors from outside the area?
–The proposals were developed without regard for the park’s rugged topography and the limitations of existing infrastructure.
–Construction of concrete roads and parking pads will create and exacerbate water runoff issues in the park.
–Cacapon’s wastewater treatment facility already operates at, and sometimes over, capacity. How will additional wastewater be managed?
–The proposals rely on year-round tenants in the RV parks to be located in the state park. Water, sewer and electrical service will need to be provided year-round, which will be more expensive than seasonal camping. Who will pay for the upgrade to winter-ready utilities?
–Providing permanent housing is not part of the West Virginia State Parks’ mission.
–To what extent will the state of WV be taking on a financial risk? To what extent will this risk affect residents as taxpayers?
Please attend the public hearing on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at 5:00 PM in the Washington Fairfax Room at Cacapon State Park Lodge. You will have an opportunity to make a brief, 2-3 minute comment stating some of these concerns, or others of your own.
Your comments will be stronger if you include a description of what kind of camping options you would like to see at Cacapon State Park, if any.
Please email your comments to DNR Director Brett McMillion Brett.W.McMillion@wv.gov, Chief of Parks and Recreation Brad Reed brad.r.reed@wv.gov, and Park Superintendent Scott Fortney scott.d.fortney@wv.gov,
Also please send your comments to Governor Justice by visiting https://governor.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx and clicking on the Contact tab at the top right of the page.
Recent legislation has made all of West Virginia’s state parks targets for proposals such as these. If you love our state parks for their peace and quiet and for the opportunity to enjoy a natural setting where you and your family can relax outdoors, please send a comment. Even if you don’t wish to provide a comment, if you live near Cacapon State Resort Park, please attend the meeting! Even your presence shows how much you care.
I’m hoping to see you there!
Aileen Curfman, Conservation Chair
West Virginia Sierra Club