With the first public hearing about the possibility of a luxury camping facility in Becket (Massachusetts) a month away, opposing residents are eager to express their displeasure.
As of writing, 245 people have signed a change.org petition for the planned redevelopment of the famed Dream Away Lodge property.
The petition’s eight elements concerning the Dream Away project, filed by an organization identified as Hit the Road RV LLC, are based on fears about the traffic, degraded road safety, environmental effects, and strain on local resources, among others.
The Dream Away property, owned by Daniel Osman at 1342 County Road, has been listed under sale pending by Cohen + White Associates of Lenox. The 43.25-acre property has been on the market for at least one year with an asking price of $1.25 million.
According to documents created by the developer, the lodge will not be changed but upgraded. Another document states that the lodge faced no changes.
The plan features a nature-oriented campus complete with gravel paths, bike racks, stargazing glade, sculpture garden, pool, amphitheater, and—in one corner—a forest lounge.
The concept is designed to appeal to those who love camping without roughing it.
The petition states that the plan is too much for the Becket community, with a population of about 1,730.
The illustrative master plan for the project includes approximately 40 canvas tent sites and 60 more elaborate village units. The plans describe the structures as a collection of eclectic, vintage units with a funky character reflecting flavors of the adjacent Dream Away Lodge.
“We are vehemently opposed to these conglomerate developers exploiting the natural beauty, peaceful way of life, and solitude that we all cherish in Becket from time past till today,” the petition reads.
“We hold this quality of life here in Becket very dearly and do not need the greed of land and business developers to disrupt, destroy, and pollute the environment as well as displace the wildlife of birds and land animals that we are custodians for future generations to come.”
This story originally appeared on The Berkshire Eagle.