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Florida-based developer, Tom Petrillo’s venture — DiVine Village, an upscale RV resort featuring 188 slots, which began conceptualization in 2021, is approaching the final phase of planning.
In a recent conversation with The Nugget, Petrillo threw light on the current state of the project on Town Creek Church Road and the path ahead, which is slightly complex.
The developer affirms that he is more equipped to talk about the details of the project now compared to when he previously had a phone interaction with The Nugget in January.
“Our initial chat was mostly a Q&A session,” explained Petrillo. “Despite my attempts to be as transparent as possible, I did not intend to divulge too much until I had a clear picture about the feasibility and the scope of the project.”
Currently, Petrillo has detailed idea about the layout of the property.
The updated plan shares the most likeness to the first design that Petrillo submitted back in September of 2021. It excludes the extra casita RV slots mentioned in Petrillo’s Georgia Environmental Protection Division application that came later, and has cut down the total number of cabins from eight to two.
County Chairman Chris Dockery clarified that adherence to the parameters of the previously-approved plan is a necessity for Petrillo’s project to be vested, or “grandfathered in,” under the pre-2022 land use code.
“When you’re granted a grandfather status, it cannot be based on a concept, instead it has to be rooted in a definitive plan,” Dockery articulated.
To date, Petrillo has successfully acquired a land disturbance permit and two demolition permits from the County for selective tree and abandoned building removal.
He has also registered his campground with the local Chamber of Commerce.
However, construction won’t commence until he has the Land Application System (LAS) application approval from the GA EPD, which is presently under processing.
“Everything is dependent on this EPD approval. I won’t proceed until I have that,” he confirms.
LUXURY CAMPING
Petrillo identifies three different forms RV camping can embody — campgrounds, entertainment centres, and luxury resorts. He emphasizes his venture will unquestionably fall into ‘luxury resort’ category targeted primarily towards the owners of high-end RVs costing from $250,000 up to $2.5 million.
“Our focus will mainly be on motorcoaches and fifth wheels. Not that others won’t find a place here, but they are our key audience, and this will reflect in the nightly charges,” says Petrillo.
He compares DiVine Village to a “Four Seasons-level resort” that will boast amenities like a welcome center, a large clubhouse with an outdoor pool and pickleball courts, a laundry/bath house and maintenance building, besides the 188 RV slots and two cabins.
Petrillo anticipates a second phase of development adding 50 more premium RV slots on the property’s ridge line, pushing the total count to 238.
However, he needs to seek County approval before embarking on Phase 2.
When asked if premium RV slots might include casitas, permanent structures with moveable walls connecting with an RV, he is unsure.
“I’m not denying it completely, but it’s currently not under review,” he states.
MAKING ACCOMMODATIONS
“Above all, we aim to be good citizens and neighbours,” declares Petrillo.
He says he has been in touch with the property’s closest neighbour.
“When we shared our first drawing, it had some ‘glamping’ tents, along with an amphitheater,” tells Petrillo.
The neighbour raised immediate concerns about possible noise pollution from these sources, so Petrillo decided to nix these features before things escalated.
He acknowledges that any negative reaction towards the project is probably due to a combination of respect for the existing community and an understandable apprehension of change.
“I understand and respect that,” he says, noting that the closest RV slot would also be a full 600 feet away from the neighbour’s house.
Petrillo is also cognizant about the potential environmental impact of the project.
“The original density requirements we were planning to follow allowed for over 500 RV slots. However, we have scaled down significantly. Why? With an aim of minimizing the environmental burden on the property and preserving its beauty.”
Although Petrillo is still pending GA EPD’s final decision, he is optimistic about ultimately receiving the LAS application approval for wastewater management.
“The encouraging news is that all the comments are in,” he said. “A review of the comments reveals that there’s nothing unexpected, thankfully.”
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
Petrillo doesn’t see himself as a competitor to existing local businesses, but as a collaborator.
“One of our conscious decisions is to include the community in the project. The facilities are not only for our visitors, but we’ll also invite locals to participate in community events,” he shares.
During off-season, locals will be allowed to purchase day passes to enjoy five to six planned activities each day on site.
Instead of applying for a liquor license, Petrillo’s plan is to invite local wineries to conduct wine tastings in the clubhouse.
“They can also sell wines to our guests if their license permits,” he adds.
The clubhouse will host a 3,000 square foot multi-purpose room that can be booked by local groups.
However, the resort will not conduct weddings.
“Why? Our local community already hosts many weddings.”
Petrillo suggests that the park could offer additional accommodations for weddings and other local events, notwithstanding whether the guests own an RV.
“Guests can contact organizations like Outdoorsy or RV Resort to rent an RV for the weekend, which will be promptly removed post event,” Petrillo explains.
His intent is to further collaborate with local food trucks and wine tours.
“This offers a fantastic opportunity to promote local businesses as majority of our visitors will come from other communities. We are specifically focusing on the Atlanta metro area.”
LOCAL IMPACT
At the request of his bank, Petrillo contracted Strategic Performance Group, an independent firm, to conduct an economic feasibility study of the project.
“By the third year, we anticipate attracting over 10,000 unique visitors to Lumpkin County and Dahlonega,” Petrillo estimates.
He forecasts that each visitor would spend approximately $435 outside the park.
“With 10,000 visitors, it amounts to over $175,000. Then you factor in the lodging tax, it’ll exceed $650,000. The project is set to contribute over a million dollars in annualized tax revenue to the County,” he adds.
COUNTY COMMENTS
Dockery makes it unambiguously clear that any major deviation from Petrillo’s 2021 plan will warrant going through a variance process or securing a Special Land Use Approval (SLUA).
“If Petrillo plans on including casitas, it goes beyond the scope of the land use regulation,” Dockery, said firmly, although he conceded that the developer certainly has the right to submit additional requests.
“He can introduce a Phase 2 featuring what he wants. But until approved by the County, he can’t proceed,” Dockery asserts.
Dockery notes and commends the developer’s willingness to cooperate on other issues.
“He has agreed to establish a vegetative buffer or a blind for the surrounding properties,” said Dockery. “That’s a considerate step to incorporate, and I’m quite enthused about it.”
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