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Planning commission renews Wildwood Campground permit with occupancy and compliance conditions
Summary
The Mendocino County Planning Commission unanimously approved a 10‑year renewal of the Wildwood Campground use permit (UR2024‑0004) and added conditions including periodic septic inspections, a one‑trailer-per-site limit and an eight‑person occupancy cap, and a one‑year deadline for bringing long‑term units into compliance.
At a Mendocino County Planning Commission meeting, the commission voted unanimously to grant a 10‑year renewal of use permit UR2024‑0004 for Wildwood Campground, located near State Route 20 east of Fort Bragg, with revised conditions aimed at addressing past health and nuisance issues.
Staff project planner Russ Ford told the commission the parcel is roughly 68 acres with 73 campsites, 45 of which have septic hookups, and that the renewal will extend the permit term to 06/01/2034 if approved. Ford said staff prepared an addendum to the original CEQA negative declaration and recommended multiple edits to the draft resolution and conditions of approval, including updated revocation language, more frequent environmental‑health inspections (every three years) and a new requirement that ‘‘all existing long term residential units shall be brought into compliance with state and local regulations within 1 year of permit approval’’ (Condition 26).
During commissioner questioning, staff said Wildwood is treated as a ‘‘special occupancy park’’ under California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) guidance and confirmed the permit’s nonstandard conditions address septic and occupancy issues. Commissioners pressed staff on maximum occupancy, trailer counts per campsite and enforcement mechanisms.
Applicant Travis Senning, who identified himself as the operations manager and business partner, spoke about cleanup and investments under new management. ‘‘Our focus is not full time residents,’’ Senning said, noting the operator has spent ‘‘approximately $25,000’’ on disposal fees and site cleanup and that recent transient‑use revenues have risen since the change in management. He provided three permit numbers for sewage systems on the record and said campground rules are posted and available on the business’s website.
Following discussion, commissioners added language limiting each campsite to a maximum of eight individuals and one trailer or recreational vehicle, with an exception for approved group campsites shown on the site map. The commission also retained the condition requiring long‑term units to be permitted, removed or converted within one year. A motion to adopt a resolution approving the CEQA addendum and granting the use permit renewal, subject to the meeting’s changes, was moved and seconded and passed by unanimous roll‑call vote.
The commission did not identify specific enforcement actions in the motion; staff will finalize the resolution and condition text for administrative record and monitoring. The renewal now proceeds under the updated conditions set at the meeting.
