Township says campers are big enough

Okayed ordinance limiting camper slide-out expansion, by Jerry Goldberg DINGMAN — Lake Adventure Campground is still running into problems with the Dingman Township Supervisors. Attorney Tammy Clause was at the Township Supervisors meeting this past Tuesday along with about 15 to 20 campsite owners in Lake Adventure. Their issue was a new Township Ordinance #03-2010 limiting the size of recreational camping units to 300 square feet. Clause claimed it was a reduction from the current 400 square feet size. Township Solicitor John Klemeyer said there never was a 400 square feet size written in any township ordinance. Clause was given a report by Township Secretary Karen Kleist from McGoey Hauser & Edsall consulting engineers for the township stating larger sized units could have a negative impact on Lake Adventure’s infrastructure. “It would have been nice if I had been given this report earlier,” said Clause Clause said she would like the supervisors to see just how many recreational units in Lake Adventure were over 400 square feet with slideouts. Slideouts refer to hydraulically operated sections of a recreational camping unit which slide out to expand the square foot size of the unit by pressing a button. Twelve-foot width sought Lake Adventure lot owners want the township to allow new recreational units which will have slideouts and expand the unit to be 12 feet wide. This is an increase from the currently permitted eight-foot wide units. All recreational units must be no wider than eight feet to travel on highways. Township Supervisors Chairman Tom Mincer told Clause he had no problem going forward with their request for 12 feet wide units except for his concerns about infrastructure issues. “I’m concerned about stream discharge as there are millions and millions of gallons of water going into the stream.” Also, “You said you are taking care of the electrical system. Previous Lake Adventure engineers were concerned about infrastructure problems over 10 years ago but did nothing and now the problems are even worse.” Mincer added. “You need to work with us.” Klemeyer said, “Lake Adventure was approved as a transient campground 35 years ago. Recreational vehicles were supposed to go in and out and now the units are left there for years. They are not used as vehicles anymore.” “The units had to be removed at least once a year as per the special conditional use acceptance. The township could require you to move the units once a year,” Mincer said. Regarding larger units, Klemeyer told Clause that “It is not the township’s job to prove the new wider units would have a negative impact. It is Lake Adventure and the manufacturer’s job to show us they won’t be a burden with a negative impact. They use more water, more electricity, and more sewage disposal and this was not the original intention.” Mincer told Clause they were not reducing the size of units but just reinstating what was in the original ordinance. A motion to approve Township Ordinance #03-2010 was made and the ordinance was voted on and approved. In other business Township Recreation Board Supervisor George Kleist gave an update on the Dingman Township Park located on Log Tavern Road. Paving of the park roads will be put off till a later date after most of the construction vehicles have gone. Kleist also told the supervisors he would like to install underground electrical conduits along side the park roads to prepare for the possibility of future outdoor lighting installation. “The football field will need a lot of landfill in order to bring over two-thirds the field up by eight feet as per required height. I don’t think we have enough fill material which can be taken from another part of the park to use to raise the football field.” Kleist told the supervisors. Township Secretary Karen Kleist said the football field has an estimated cost of $228,000 to complete.