Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Campground Law topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Richland board postpones campground-law hearing, schedules public workshop to revise rules
Summary
Facing concerns from property owners, the Town Board canceled the May 26 public hearing on a proposed campground/camper law and converted it to a public workshop to allow more revisions and public input.
The Richland Town Board voted unanimously on May 12 to postpone the scheduled May 26 public hearing on a proposed campground (camper) law and instead hold a workshop open to the public aimed at revising the draft ordinance.
Councilwoman Donna Gilson proposed converting the hearing into a workshop "to get it right," citing property-owner concerns expressed during public comment. The motion to cancel the May 26 public hearing and replace it with a workshop carried on a unanimous roll-call vote of 'AYE.'
Resident Patrick Derr had urged the board to split the draft into separate commercial and residential components, saying the residential provisions — including curfew-like controls for larger parks — were overbroad. "It seems like the Town is really close to having the commercial part wrapped up. The residential part in his opinion is way off base," Derr said during public comment.
Councilman Larry Atkinson said board members and staff have met with campground owners and others to gather input and urged support for enforcement staff, saying, "We should all back the Zoning and Code Officer. He is enforcing the rules and regulations that the Board has set forth for the Town." Council members framed the workshop as an opportunity for further comment and refinement before a future hearing.
The board scheduled the workshop for 10:00 a.m. in the Grand Jury Room of the H. Douglas Barclay Courthouse. No final vote on the law was taken at the May 12 meeting; the board signaled it intends to continue public discussion and revision before formal adoption.
