ROCKY MOUNT Franklin County is moving forward with plans for a 37-acre park on Smith Mountain Lake, including a possible new regional headquarters for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

The idea of moving the game department's regional office from Forest in Bedford County to Smith Mountain Lake Community Park was mentioned by acting director Gerald Massengill at a public forum on lake safety earlier this month.

Since then, Franklin County and the game department have held some informal discussions about the idea, but no formal proposal has been made, said Rick Huff, county administrator. The park land technically belongs to the state, but the county has a long-term lease on it.

Lt. Karl Martin of the game department said the plan still needs to be approved by the state, but he does expect changes.

"I'm optimistic there will be a change in our presence there, not only with the possibility of moving our regional office but also additional law enforcement to be assigned to Smith Mountain Lake," Martin said.

Franklin County Director of Commerce and Leisure Services Scott Martin included the regional office in a site plan for the county park during a presentation before the board of supervisors last week.

"The ultimate decision of course lies with the DGIF," Martin said. "But if we want to be a partner we'd better be sure we can handle it."

Lt. Martin said the county park would be a prime location for a game department regional office. "It's in one of the busiest areas," Lt. Martin said. "The area from Hales Ford downstream is very busy. This would also be in an area where the public could access and use the facilities."

Although the office would be located several miles from Virginia 122, it would still be more convenient to lake-goers than the office in Bedford, he said.

The office would continue to serve a 22-county region, running from Botetourt County to Southside and east to Dinwiddie County. It would offer fishing licenses, hunting licenses and boat registration, he said.

In his presentation to county supervisors, Scott Martin said the inclusion of the game department regional office would likely mean the elimination of a public boat ramp from the park.

"I don't think the site can accommodate both with the grading that has to occur," Scott Martin said. "You can't just keep throwing stuff on the site. We shouldn't expect a 37-acre park to serve all the water access needs of Franklin County on Smith Mountain Lake."

Gills Creek Supervisor Russ Johnson was irked about the possible absence of a boat ramp, but nonetheless voted with other supervisors to move forward. The next step will be to put out bids to stabilize the shoreline with riprap and to construct a fishing pier.

Chris Fewster, a consultant with Anderson and Associates, said the county will have to move quickly to get around new restrictions in the lake's shoreline management plan. Riprap and pile-driving for the pier will have to be finished by mid-February and April.

Scott Martin said the county hopes to complete construction of the park's first phase -- which will include a road, fishing pier and public rest rooms -- by this time next year. The final phase, which includes a beach, should be done within three to four years. A trail already is open to the public and is heavily used, he said.

Franklin County has raised $700,000 for development of the park aside from the game department office. Only $300,000 of that came from the county itself, with the rest coming from impact fees paid from development of community docks, transportation funds for the road and state funding.