Planners propose 20-acre minimum and 32-person limit for new 'semi-primitive' campgrounds

Planning staff urged commissioners to consider a new 'semi-primitive campground' category for backcountry areas and said the draft raises the minimum parcel size for such commercial uses from 5 acres to 20 acres to align with conservation goals.

Staff explained the combined constraints are intended to limit environmental impact: "We've increased the minimum lot size from 5 acres to 20 acres," the planner said, and added that density would be "restricted to no more than 32 people housed in up to two structures." The presenter said the rule requires contiguous parcel aggregation so single 10.33-acre mining-claim parcels would no longer qualify unless combined.

Commissioners and staff discussed sanitation and water approaches for remote sites, including recognizing vault toilets and vault privies as a conforming sanitary option so applicants would not need separate board-of-health variances. Staff reiterated that the 32-person figure is a maximum subject to site-plan review and local hazard assessments.

Next steps: staff will work with the county attorney to ensure the 20-acre threshold is legally defensible, include service/access requirements in the standards, and return with language for public review before October adoption hearings.