A planned campground just west of Berthoud (Colorado) has been opposed by residents. According to a report, the proposal suggests an area for RVs and tent camping approximately one mile to the west of the County Road 23 and County Road 4 intersection.
The plan seeks for the campground to be constructed in five phases. There will be 120 campsites in phase one, 50 sites in phase two, 68 in phase three, 39 sites in phase four, and at least 96 sites in phase five.
The plan also includes building a 2,000-5,000-square-foot check-in and greeting office with showers and a laundry facility, a 3,000-square-foot maintenance building, as well as a 6,000-square-foot barn which will be constructed during the first phase of the development. Bathrooms will be “mobile and placed for easy access as needed,” as per planning documents.
Colorado Base Camp was proposed by David P. Lee. The landowners were identified as Hui-You Huang and Pao-Chin Huang. According to the Larimer County Planning website, nine percent of the approval process has been completed, another 17 percent is ongoing, and the remaining 73 percent is yet to commence.
Residents recently received a brief notice regarding the proposed development. Several homeowners expressed their opposition to the proposed campsite.
The main concerns include an increase in traffic on CR4 and other roads in the vicinity, fire hazards from the propane fire pits that will be built in the campground, air and water quality issues, the possibility of campers intruding on private land, noise pollution, light pollution, sanitation problems with the proposed portable restrooms, campers using dirt bike, impacts on wildlife within the vicinity, potentially dangerous interactions between humans and wildlife, as well as the impact on the community’s services like the sheriff’s protection and fire fighting.
“This project is currently within the sketch plan process. This is a preliminary process where the applicant can submit their project for preliminary comments and feedback. This is not an approval process. There is no public hearing involved. Written comments are the only public input accepted at this point in the process,” said Larimer County Planner Samantha Mott.
“After the sketch plan review, the applicant can either choose to move forward with a public hearing application that would result in approval or disapproval by the Board of County Commissioners or choose to abandon the project. There will be more opportunities for public comment if they decide to move forward,” she added.