West Fargo in North Dakota will allow the establishment of campgrounds within the agriculturally zoned sectors of the city’s extraterritorial regions, according to an Inforum report. This move aims for expanded camping areas.
In 2022, the campground expansion proposed by the Red River Valley Fair encountered opposition from local residents. The commission voted against a proposed zoning ordinance amendment that would have authorized the development of campgrounds on agriculturally zoned land, rejecting the Red River Valley Fair proposal. The proposal for a $3.5 million expansion would cater to the demand for camping spaces throughout the peak season, spanning May 1 to November 1.
The city’s ordinances, until this recent change on April 1, did not entertain the possibility of campground operations within agricultural areas. These changes are set to pave the way for the development of campgrounds, an initiative previously unfeasible under the city’s existing zoning regulations.
Aaron Nelson, the Planning Director of West Fargo, clarified the scope and intent of the ordinance change, noting that the amendment specifically targets agriculturally zoned areas situated in the city’s extraterritorial boundaries.
However, developments would remain exclusive to the city’s outer limits, with no provisions extended for campground establishment within the central city limits. These measures are important to guarantee that future campground ventures will be thoroughly supervised for maintenance and regulation.
“I am the one who brought this back, and I have not brought this back because of the fairgrounds. If we ever want to have a recreational campground, we have to have some rules and regulations, and this sets the process. If anyone wants to have a campground, they have to go in front of the (Planning and Zoning Committee) and before us,” Commissioner Mark Simmons said, as quoted in the Inforum report.
In addition, the completion of the Fargo-Moorhead Diversion can also offer new prospects in West Fargo’s northern regions, which can open potential campground developments.
