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Mills County zoning board denies proposed Ellington Avenue campground after public opposition
Summary
The Mills County Zoning Board of Adjustments denied an application by Deb and Kevin Rowe to operate a short-term campground at TBD Ellington Ave/237th St., citing parcel size, shape and access concerns after public objections and a staff recommendation to deny.
The Mills County Zoning Board of Adjustments denied an application for a proposed short-term campground on May 19, 2026, after hearing public objections and a staff recommendation to refuse the permit. The application (listed as #25-06) covered a parcel described in the minutes as TBD Ellington Ave/237th St., Glenwood, in Oak Township and located in the Agricultural Residential (AR) zoning district.
The applicants, identified in the minutes as Deb and Kevin Rowe, presented a plan for a small campground for short-term stays. Several members of the public spoke in opposition during the public-comment period, raising concerns about traffic, road impacts, lighting, neighborhood safety, property values, animals, and access control.
Matt Wyant, the county Building and Zoning Consultant, read the staff report recommending denial. According to the minutes, Wyant said the parcel "is in the Class AR Agricultural Residential District" and that "the parcel is inadequate in size, shape or access to handle the intensity of the use," noting there was not room for visual or sound-reducing barriers and that the site layout would make access and emergency-vehicle turning difficult.
The applicants told the board they would install gates and fencing, enforce quiet hours from 10:00 PM to 8:00 AM, require pets to be leashed or kept inside RVs, ask disruptive persons to leave, and limit stays to no more than seven days.
After discussion about supervision, utilities (the applicants confirmed water would be available but no sewer or electricity), and site features, the board voted on a motion to deny the application. The motion was made by Patrick Collins and seconded by Heather Jenneman. The minutes record a roll-call vote (Collins - Nay, Leick – Nay, Jenneman - Nay, Evans - Nay) and state "Motion Carried." The minutes do not provide a further breakdown of votes for all participants or explain the apparent vote-labeling convention used in the roll call.
The board closed the public hearing on the application before taking its vote. The minutes direct readers to the recorded minutes for additional discussion.
No appeal or next procedural step was recorded in the minutes for this item.
