A special land use request from Saugatuck Meadows Campground (Michigan) is once again before the Ganges Township Planning Commission, with discussions resuming Aug. 27 at the Glenn Community Center.
The request, submitted by applicant Bobbi Jo Beyersdorf, was last taken up in May, when more than 70 residents crowded the small township meeting room to voice their concerns during a public hearing.
The proposed project would cover 25 acres and involve a partnership between Beyersdorf and Michael O’Connor, owner of the adjacent Campit Outdoor Resort.
Beyersdorf said the two campgrounds would operate separately, though visitors to Saugatuck Meadows would be able to purchase day passes to access Campit.
Until now, Campit has relied on the neighboring property for auxiliary parking and storage. The new request would formalize development of the land into a separate campground.
Campit, located on 33 acres in a commercial district, offers space for tents and RVs, as well as log cabin rentals, a five-bedroom bunkhouse, vintage trailers, a heated pool, and a clubhouse.
The business has a long history in Ganges Township. In 2004, Campit won a lawsuit against the township that allowed the campground to double in size.
This summer, township officials approved a one-year moratorium on new campground projects, but the decision came after the Saugatuck Meadows application had already been submitted.
According to an article published by Sentinel on August 22, the moratorium has, however, blocked an expansion request from Campit, according to emails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.
For some residents, the dispute centers less on Saugatuck Meadows than on ongoing frustrations with Campit. Neighbors complained about noise, traffic, and environmental impacts, raising concerns that another campground would worsen existing problems.
“I thought I would live here forever, but at this rate I don’t know that’s going to happen,” resident Stephanie Hughes said.
“If the township doesn’t stand up for its citizens, it’s going to wind up losing its culture, its feel, the thing that makes it attractive to people who want to come here,” Hughes added.
Planning commissioners offered mixed views during the May hearing.
Vice Chair Dale Pierson questioned whether Beyersdorf’s partnership with O’Connor effectively linked Saugatuck Meadows to Campit’s issues.
Commissioner Edward Gregory also argued the proposal is inconsistent with the township’s Master Plan.
He compared the density of RV sites to single-family dwellings, noting that the smallest lot size for a house in Ganges Township is 1.5 acres, while the proposed sites would be just 4,600 square feet.
“That’s 14 times greater density,” Gregory said. “That’s 14 times the human occupation, 14 times the noise, 14 times the smoke, 14 times the traffic, the smells, the activities, the water consumption, the waste disposal and the public services that are going to have to address this,” Hughes added.
Planning Commission Chair Jackie DeZwaan took a different view, pointing out that the proposal could provide an opportunity to address complaints tied to Campit.
The Aug. 27 session will continue deliberations on the request, with both commissioners and residents expected to weigh in on whether Saugatuck Meadows should move forward.