Prewitt threatens lawsuit against Camden County

CAMDEN COUNTY, Mo. — In a letter dated July 2, 2014, Gary Prewitt has threatened to sue Camden County.

Prewitt’s developments at the Lake of the Ozarks have brought large businesses to municipalities along the east side, but his projects around 7 Mile Cove have for years been the subject of controversy. Customers parking along Bittersweet Road and Sweet William Road to patronize local businesses—among them are Prewitt’s Lazy Gators and Shady Gators—have drawn the ire of area residents, and Prewitt has recently pursued the construction of a satellite parking lot as a resolution.

That lot has been approved with conditions by the county, but in a recent commissioners’ meeting, the issue of the four-acre parcel next to the parking lot that Prewitt had requested be zoned B-1 for the construction of a convenience store was sent back to the county planning and zoning commission. Commissioner Cliff Luber voted against that move, but Commissioners Beverly Thomas and Kris Franken voted for it, cited an alleged failure by the county to properly notify residents living within 1,000 feet of the property of the last public meeting. The two commissioners were apparently in agreement to an obligation to allow those residents to comment in accordance with the county’s land-use code.

Franken had abstained from voting on the two-acre rezoning for the parking area, saying, "I made a mistake in taking funds from Mr. Prewitt in my first election bid." However, with a tie vote between Luber and Thomas on the other rezoning issues, Franken voted with Thomas to break the tie.

Since then, P&Z Commission chairman Jerry Carroll decided to move the issue to the August meeting, scheduled for Aug. 20.

Luber commented after the June 19 vote, “Historically, it is almost unheard of for the county commission to vote against a unanimous decision by the P&Z commission.”

At that meeting, Prewitt stated, “We were asked by the county and our patrons to provide parking, and that is what we are trying to do.”

In a separate interview, Luber agreed Prewitt had done everything the county had asked of him regarding the rezoning for this development proposal.

But because of the June 19 decision, Prewitt’s attorney Lewis Bridges, of Curran, Bridges & Bridges, said Prewitt is prepared to sue the county. In the letter to Camden County, Prewitt’s attorney communicated: “My client has informed me that if the Camden County Commission attempts to again exceed its authority, or if the Planning and Zoning Commission attempts to reconsider these two matters, we have been authorized to file suit in the Circuit Court of Camden County, Missouri to prevent such reconsideration.”

This would be Prewitt’s second legal battle with the county regarding zoning issues.