Campground ordinance approved

Lake Adventure owners complain fees too high and regulations too strict, By Jerry Goldberg DINGMAN — Lake Adventure zoning was back on the Dingman Township Supervisors’ agenda Tuesday night as an amended ordinance governing campgrounds was approved. Lake Adventure is a recreational campground on state Route 739. According to their attorney, Tammy Clause, there are 1,600 trailer sites. At issue was an amendment to a Dingman Township Ordinance regulating recreational vehicles in a campground. This ordinance change was presented at the last supervisors’ meeting. The supervisors were allowing property owners who had property setback zoning violations to purchase a non-conforming use certificate which would essentially grand father those violations. Lot owners voiced concerns about the amendment and the supervisors prepared several revisions to the ordinance, which they presented at a public hearing for the ordinance. Supervisors’ Chair Tom Mincer said the new revisions should satisfy the Lake Adventure property owners. Clause told the supervisors that the new changes look good at first, but that trailers are transient in nature and the ordinance still did not meet the needs of the campground property owners. She claimed Lake Adventure has always enforced their community rules regarding set backs but they measure with the trailer closed and do not include tip-outs which enlarge the living area of trailers. Clause went on to say, “We have been trying to follow our restrictive covenants. Does everyone need a non-conforming use certificate at $50 each?” Clause said they are now taxed as a camping community but may end up being taxed as a permanent community and lose their tax status. By filing for a non-conforming use certificate they may be considered as homeowners in the township. She claimed Dingman does not seem concerned about Lake Adventure and property owners issues. “We are being extremely concerned. If they get the non-conforming use certificate they’ll be protected now and in the future,” said Mincer. “The $50 fee for 1600 trailers is a lot. We will have to file an objection and challenge this,” said Clause. Mincer told her that her language was a threat. He said the township addressed all the concerns made by the property owners at the last meeting and made revisions based on their requests. He told her that a $50 fee was a minimal charge for a non-conforming use application. Responding to audience questions, Mincer went on to say that all existing violations must be recorded. “You need to get it right and it will be set for good.” Asked if the township would be helping with inspections or policing, Mincer said “I assume you’ll do it right and if something is listed wrong it can be corrected at that time. We want it to be fixed forever,” responded Mincer. Clause voiced her concern regarding recreational vehicles that come to Lake Adventure for short stays and whether they would need to file. She was referring to Coast-To-Coast members. Coast-To-Coast is a camping membership organization whose members can travel the country and get guaranteed placement for their units in member recreational communities. “We specifically put in something regarding pads on sites and if this is done you’ll be fine,” said Mincer. Regarding the 50-foot setback a trailer must be from any body of water, Mincer said, “This is a Pennsylvania rule which the township is required to enforce. Mincer finished up by explaining that the ordinance may not address every issue which may come up and these will be handled when they need to be on a case by case basis. He also noted that all the setback requirements in the ordinance were matched up to those of Lake Adventure in their rules and regulations. Mincer made a motion to accept the ordinance and it was voted on and approved.

Final ordinance revisions
Require lot owners to put a site pad on lots to be used by transient recreational vehicles or tents to certify where a unit would be situated on the site.
Require that any replacement unit must fit the same footprint as the former unit.
Provide an extra six months, total of 18, to apply for a non-conforming use certificate instead of twelve months.
Set the price for the non-conforming certificate at $50