RV resort coming to Riverland

Opening this summer

It looks like RV campers will soon have a new place to park their rigs at the north end of the Gunnison Valley: the Crested Butte RV Resort in Riverland Industrial Park. Last week, the Gunnison County Planning Commission approved a request to construct an 18-site recreational vehicle park. Once construction is complete, the resort will be open to campers between Memorial Day Weekend and November 30, provided that winter weather doesn’t shut it down sooner.

At a public hearing on July 20, lot owner and project applicant Kevin Freeman told the Planning Commission that he and his wife, Cari, had worked extensively with the Riverland board of directors to develop a plan that worked within Riverland’s covenants. The Freemans originally intended to build 25 campsites to accommodate up to 100 people. But at the request of the board, they reduced their plan to 18 sites with a maximum capacity of 60 people. That means some sites will be allowed only two people per site.
“We have done everything the board has asked us to do…” Freeman said. “[Our plan] has been reviewed by the board and the board passed it unanimously.”
In addition to addressing capacity, the Freemans also secured special land use approvals from the Riverland board of directors and the Board of County Commissioners. An RV park/campground is not listed in the Riverland covenants as an appropriate use of a Riverland industrial lot. Assistant planning director Neal Starkebaum explained.
“Within Riverland Industrial Park there is a special requirement within the covenants that identifies specific permitted uses. And there is a provision that allows the board to look at similar uses, which must be approved by both the board of directors in Riverland and the Board of County Commissioners,” said Starkebaum.
The County Commissioners approved the use at a July 17 meeting, after Riverland had already approved the use. The public also spoke out in support of the Freemans’ proposal, including the nearest property owner, Dick Sweitzer. “I’m the only lot owner who actually borders Kevin’s property and I’m definitely for it. Knowing Kevin and knowing what the board has required of him, it’s going to be a very nice looking amenity to the area. It’s not going to be detriment to me as a neighbor for noise, views or anything,” said Sweitzer.
 RV camper Wayne Bruckner said he and his wife currently camp in Gunnison and drive 60 miles a day to do most of their hiking and eating out in Crested Butte. He added that because of the lack of RV camping in Crested Butte, “We have friends who don’t come to Crested Butte.”
Mt. Crested Butte resident Mike Caton agreed that adding RV camping would be an amenity for the north end of the valley. “We’ve been there since 2002, and we have noticed that those motor homes brave enough to come up the mountain end up dry camping in a parking lot owned by CBMR. They pay $45… and it gets kind of muddy when it rains so there is no attraction in Crested Butte for RVers.”
Caton added that the Freemans’ project would “bring business. It’s going to bring people to Crested Butte and the Gunnison Valley who normally write it off.”
There was one dissenting voice, however. Crested Butte attorney David Leinsdorf appeared at the public hearing on behalf of Riverland property owner Phillip Coombs, whose property is the second lot to the southwest of the Freemans’ lots. Leinsdorf acknowledged that he and Coombs both see the need for RV camping, but they do not believe the plan is authorized by Riverland Industrial Park covenants.
“Phil’s main concern is the density issue, more specifically the density issue as it pertains to lots that have been built out to the max density allowed under the covenants. Our view is if somebody has built 4,500 square feet of building that’s the maximum allowed, they ought not to be allowed to in addition develop an RV park. That applies to one of two Freeman lots,” Leinsdorf said.
Mike Dawson, attorney for the applicants, pointed out that Coombs had already raised his issues via a letter to Riverland’s board of directors.
“Mr. Coombs submitted a letter of opposition to the board and part of the decision of that board was to reduce the density in response to the oppositions that were raised,” Dawson said.
The two attorneys then got into a discussion about whether or not an RV park indeed qualified as a permitted land use. Leinsdorf argued that the County Commissioners used the incorrect list when determining whether an RV park was similar in characteristics to other land uses, but Planning Commission chairman Ramon Reed interrupted.
 “Let me clarify for both of you, this is a decision that according to the covenants is to be made by the Riverland Association and the Board of County Commissioners… It is not the decision of this committee on what uses are allowed,” Reed said.
Starkebaum added, “Regarding the purpose of density limitations, there is nothing in the Riverland covenants that specifically identifies restrictions on density other than a required maximum on the footprint of a building,” said Starkebaum. In addition, the covenants allow for more than one building.
Reed said that the density of 18 RVs didn’t seem that high, and Planning Commission member Kent Fulton also took issue with the way density was being challenged.
“What I hear is density [being defined as the] square footage of a building, but we’re talking about personal property versus real property. Those are vehicles we are talking about and I don’t think those are counted as square footage when they’re on wheels and can be moved,” said Fulton. “The density as far as the number of people, I understand that one. I think they’ve come up with the appropriate number.”
The Planning Commission voted to approve the request for construction. The Freemans’ RV Resort should be up and running in a couple of weeks. Freeman has installed a leach field, sewer tank and is building a bathroom. Electricity and water will be installed this week and next, and then it’s open for business. Visit www.crestedbuttervresort.com for reservations.