ATV Florida Forum

Park for off-roading is close to approval
Charlotte County development reviewers must sign off on site

By KEVIN DALE



kevin.dale@heraldtribune.com

CHARLOTTE COUNTY -- A much-anticipated, 1,000- acre park for all-terrain and off-road vehicles could be approved by Charlotte County early next month.

The land's owner, Danny Kelly, said if the county's development reviewers sign off on the project Nov. 1, the park could open in as little as three months.

The park's first phase would make about 600 acres available to riders of ATVs, swamp buggies and off-road vehicles on both dry and muddy trails, Kelly said.

The park -- which would be the region's only large-scale, off-road park -- would feature picnic and camping areas. It would also host a series of concerts and events.

Those special events would be limited to nine each year, with park hours restricted from dawn to dusk, Thursday through Monday, according to the conditions of the county's special exception allowing the park.

The park would also offer on-site emergency medical care, according to details filed with the county.

Project approval by the Development Review Committee is the final step in the county's review process for the park, three miles east of State Road 31 on Bermont Road (County Road 74).

The opening of Kelly Sports Park is eagerly awaited by Southwest Florida's sizable population of off-road enthusiasts.

Currently, riders have to travel at least two hours to legally enjoy the activity in public or private ATV parks located in Florida.

"There's nothing that's legal south of Brooksville" in Hernando County, said Kevin Vaughan, president of the North Port Off Road Association.

Last year, North Port banned ATV riding in the city's undeveloped stretches, which were formerly a haven for area riders.

"In fact, I moved to North Port specifically because of the open area where we could ride and not bother anybody," Vaughan said.

Kelly, the park's developer, said he receives calls daily from people asking when the facility will open on the site of the family's former potato farm. The project's major test came in December, when the county's Board of Zoning Appeals, after an hours-long hearing, granted Kelly a controversial special exception to allow the park.

Citing concerns about noise and traffic, some residents in the rural eastern Charlotte County community bitterly opposed the project.

"It's been a lot longer battle than I thought it would be," said Kelly.


http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20071020/NEWS/710200430/1014/NEWS0106 (http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20071020/NEWS/710200430/1014/NEWS0106)

2thumbs up to Danny Kelly for tryin to make a difference

Awsome. Thanks for posting this article.

 Good for them.
The red tape is insane. Collier County is trying to open the 100 acre temp site for riding. It's county vs DEP vs SFWM vs leaf licker etc. ::)
 I will happen eventually. They have the equipment and the parks/ park rangers are not against it.

I am thinking this is gonna be like another C&R, and L-Cross parks... Just a little closer to my house...

You know what's funny about the leaf lickers and all the other parties you mentioned above is, where are they when they are literally knocking down every single piece of land they can down the highway, or down 41 in fort myers why don't they complain about that? the building that is going on in Fort myers and charlotte county is unbelievable! there is not one piece of land that is not for sale or is not being knocked down for office buildings or shopping centers RIGHT NOW and that is no B.S. As atv riders we are actually willing to share the forest and land with the trees and animals not knock it down completely.

Great news... Is this park going to be open every weekend or just event weekends like C&R and L-cross?  9 weekends is better than no weekends, but 52 weekends would be killer...

any update?????

I hope your wrong there.

Its a big step for the S.W. Fla riders. 

UPDATE

Punta Gorda ATV/concert park passes big test, but legal hurdle remains
(Last updated: December 27, 2007 4:15 PM)

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Residents spoke out today against the proposed park and concert venue.

By NEIL HUGHES
Staff Writer

Though a proposed ATV and concert park in rural Punta Gorda cleared its last major hurdle in the Charlotte County permitting process, the project's real test remains in the form of a yet-to-be-decided lawsuit.

The county's Development Review Committee granted approval to final site plans for Kelly Sports Park today. The applicant, Danny Kelly, hopes to create an all-terrain vehicle park on farmland off Bermont Road in East Charlotte County.

The project has been contentious with nearby residents, who have taken issue with the site's use as an occasional concert venue.

The county and Kelly Sports Park are currently in an ongoing lawsuit with Orange-co, a Florida citrus company, over a decision from the Charlotte County Board of Zoning Appeals last December. The BZA granted a special exception to rezone the property from agricultural use to allow for an ATV park and concert venue.

Jerry Newlin of Orange-co spoke at today’s meeting in protest of the project. The company is requesting a 10-foot berm be placed around the entire property in addition to current buffer space.

"We're not trying to kill the park," Newlin said. "If the lawsuit goes through, then that might be a different story."

Chris MacArthur owns a property that connects to the proposed park. He said the existing 600-feet of distance provided is not enough.

"The buffer is not going to stop any sound," MacArthur said of possible concerts.

Officials with the park still hope to have events there this winter. The project's engineer, Mark Theis of Johnson Engineering, said today’s approval was the last major permit needed from Charlotte County.

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man this sounds promising! Please keep us up to date or let me know where i can find out more about it please

Is there any new developments on this yet???  I really hope this goes through we have these brand new 4 wheelers that need to be used!!!

Thanks,

hey guys do they allow show there????
i am with the VA beach beast and looking for a place in Florida to put on an old school monster truck show
trucks like the beast, USA-1, big foot.....ect
sorry if this isn't where i need to be asking just joined the site
but if u can give me any info, it Would help out a lot thanx
p.s
we are wanting to run a week long show with the monster trucks one day...and quad wars one day tug a wars one day and mud drags one day and what ever we can come up with and the any one can enter any of the events!!!!
thanx guys and girls
and keep the mud flyin!!!!

The place you are asking is called Redneck Yacht Club ,Here is a link to there site http://www.redneckyachtclubfl.com/ (http://www.redneckyachtclubfl.com/)  .Hope they allow it,sounds like the show would be fun .