The Potomace River has been identified as one of the most endangered rivers in the country and increased recreational uses will only add to the problems for this overburdened waterway. New zoning amendments provide a backdoor for the controversial commercial recreational use zoning which has been tabled until a later time. The Planned Neighborhood development, requiring a minimum of 3 acres allows campgrounds and passive and active recreational uses. It doesn’t take an Einstein to see how this new zoning category which allows a lot of discretion on the part of the zoning staff and zoning administrator, would provide the necessary zoning for commercial recreational uses. There are provisions for zoning map changes and public hearings regarding making these changes but in the end, there is no overall plan, a vision for protecting Jefferson County’s natural resources or how this should be done. Many communities with similar resources have adopted special zoning, Natural River Zoning with direct community involvement in all changes or approvals of applications for changes in these areas. The need for the Pack Horse Ford study could not be greater and we would like to see the county establish areas for continued commercial recreational uses, a plan for parking, road improvement, public access, identifying where infrastructure exists and allowing development in those areas and ask for a moratorium on future zoning changes until that time.