Campground zoning plan raises issues

Existing violations could be grandfathered with $50 permit, By Jerry Goldberg DINGMAN — Lake Adventure property owners filled the township supervisors meeting room this past Tuesday night. Lake Adventure is a recreational community with 1,794 properties on state Route 739. The community has been in existence since 1970 and contains travel trailers, motor homes and other camping units which are used as vacation homes. Lake Adventure lot owners pay minimal county and school taxes because of the nature of a recreational community as opposed to a community with permanent homes in place. Since they are not full time residents they cannot vote in local elections, send their children to local schools or receive mail at Lake Adventure. They were there for a public hearing regarding a proposed amendment change of a township ordinance which regulates recreational vehicles in campgrounds. Of concern was the requirement of structures which violate Lake Adventure and township setback requirements. Setback is the distance any structure is allowed to be from a property line. Included in the ordinance were recreational vehicles, tents, trailers, decks, accessory buildings and gazebos as well as other types of structures. The meeting room was filled and some people were standing. There were very few outbursts from members of the audience. Some people shouted out questions at first but were asked to raise their hand in order to be recognized. The township planning commission has recommended approval of the ordinance, and the Pike County Office of Community Planning had no comment on the change. Township Supervisors Chair Tom Mincer said the change was brought about by Lake Adventure owners concerned about current violations and getting some relief for violations previous owners may have committed prior to their purchase of their lot. Some earlier owners had placed decks and other structures on their property which are problematic because they don’t conform with community rules or township setback requirements. Mincer said owners in Lake Adventure were able to do this because the community rules were not enforced. The township is making the change in the ordinance to remedy any violations that are in place currently, he said. The ordinance would require a township permit for any structures placed on properties and those new structures must be in compliance with required setback provisions. But for the next year after the ordinance is adopted, current owners could grandfather their property by applying for a non-conforming use permit. All existing violations would be accepted. Mincer said mis-information is going around as to exactly what the new ordinance was going to do. He said the new ordinance is intended to alleviate problems for Lake Adventure owners and not to hurt them. Tammy Clause, an attorney representing Lake Adventure told the supervisors the community board of directors met last weekend to discuss the ordinance. Clause said the property owners were concerned about the one-year deadline to apply for the certificate and felt that the fee for it will be like a tariff and is discriminatory. “We have people who will have just a tent or a recreational vehicle and now they have to come to you for the placement of their unit.” Clause argued that Lake Adventure has been enforcing their rules. “Whether the implementation of this ordinance will help or hurt the community they are opposed to it.” Mincer said the certificate will only be about $50. All the units in Lake Adventure are transient and can be moved if the owners want to move them. “You could have met with us before implementing this ordinance. I object to your statement that we don’t enforce our rules. We are very strict and owners have to apply for a Lake Adventure permit before they do anything on their property.” Lake Adventure Treasurer Ed Rohs told Mincer. Mincer replied that there were decks placed within setbacks and that Lake Adventure hasn’t acted. He said the township understands the problems and is giving owners a chance to get a certificate of non-conforming use and allowing them a year to do this. Scott Amori an attorney representing Robert Trezza, an owner in Lake Adventure, said his client has been in Lake Adventure since 1981 and his trailer is situated in the setback area. “My client came in to get an awning permit from the township and opened up a can of worms. “This is a wonderful solution for my client, who was worried about his problem.” Tom Annunziato, vice president of property owners association asked about the 15-foot height restriction in the ordinance and where the height was measured from. In response Township Zoning Officer Chris Wood stated the measurement is made from the axle. Annunziata was also concerned about replacing his current trailer in the future. He asked whether the new ordinance would affect him if he wanted to get a new trailer with tip-outs which would make the new unit wider than his current model. Tip- outs are usually hydraulically operated and extend the sides of recreational trailers to create a larger living space area. There were audience questions about camper height and width issues. The allowable height will be 15 feet, measured from the axle. One man wanted to know about tip-outs that would widen his camper. “If you did that you would be in violation of even your own covenants,” Mincer told him. As for the township, the new wider unit would need to be in place within the one year time period, he added.