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Updated: 1:39 PM May 15, 2008
Camp Still Meadows Decision Tabled
Rockingham County A special needs camp has been ordered to make some changes, or they might have their special use permit revoked. Posted: 11:30 PM May 14, 2008Reporter: Mary Pulley Email Address: mpulley@whsv.com |
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A special needs camp has been ordered to make some changes, or they might have their special use permit revoked.
Wednesday night, organizers from Camp Still Meadows were at the Rockingham County Board of Supervisor's meeting to hear the fate of the camp. A decision was not made, because the board decided to table the item.
"This is a place where dreams can and do come true, and they can fly like eagles, if only in their mind," says Janet Maasch, the executive director of Camp Still Meadows.
The camp cares for special needs children using things like therapeutic horseback riding and healing gardens. Maasch says she's not sure how to make it be in compliance with the county's requests for a new permit.
She says, "I do not know how we will keep the camp open with the wording that they have in the special use permit."
Camp Still Meadows was issued a special use permit in 2003 with the understanding that a drip sewage disposal system would be used. The current facility has portable outdoor toilets, which the county says has to change.
"Violation of one special use permit affects the violation of all special use permits on that property, and can result in the revoking of the permit," says county administrator Joe Paxton.
The county sited many other issues with the camp such as unsupervised volunteers, limited sight distance for the entrance, traffic safety concerns raised by VDOT and a proper fire evacuation plan.
