County commissioners approve Pinehaven RV-park conditional use; planning commission discusses setbacks, fires and lighting

The Pennington County Board of Commissioners has approved a conditional-use permit (file 1928) for an RV park operated as Pinehaven Campground by R and J LLC, applicant Justin Eisenbron, the planning commission was told on Sept. 22. At the planning commission meeting commissioners reviewed the board’s action and discussed issues raised during earlier reviews, including hours of operation, campfire fuel type and setback controls. Planning staff told the commission that the campground is zoned highway service; vacation cabins are a use by right in that zone while an event center and RV park are conditional uses. Commissioners asked whether rezoning the property as a planned unit development would have allowed the county to set stricter, site-specific rules — for example, larger setbacks or limiting fire fuel to propane instead of wood — and staff replied that a PUD is a negotiated zoning district where such conditions could be set. Planning staff also cautioned that authority over what materials may be burned can be limited by state-level wildland-fire regulations; one commissioner said the county's state's attorney had previously raised similar limits. Commissioners and staff discussed enforcement of campfire safety: earlier meetings and the board review emphasized permit-holder responsibilities to extinguish fires when required by a permit; commissioners noted some RV parks proactively enforce extinguishing and use county or private equipment for that purpose. Neighbors and commissioners also raised lighting concerns; staff said the applicant had volunteered to explore lower-lumen fixtures and work with county staff to mitigate neighbor concerns. The commission received the board report and had no further action; the planning commission’s prior recommendation and the board’s approval stand as reported.