Letter: Campground proposal raises red flags
Thank you for printing the April 24 article about the Base Camp Eagle proposal for a campground on Brush Creek Road in Eagle. This article is incomplete, however. Important pieces of information are left out, including the level of opposition to this project at the meeting.
First, the applicant has requested annexation into the town of Eagle, because upon approaching the county, they were presented with significant requirements that would have to be met. Not the least of these is concern about the traffic that will impact Brush Creek Road as a result of this project.
To address this concern, the applicants say they will encourage a “park once” approach. If this means people will set up camp and not move their vehicles until they strike camp, it’s unlikely tourists would honor this request. If the people at the campground go into town every day and spend the amount of money that’s being touted by the applicant, many will drive because the site is not walkable to town amenities.
There are also missing timelines for numerous issues that will impact the area. For instance, when will electricity become available, ending the need for campers to run noisy generators at their campsites? Having lived through the added traffic when the Sylvan Lake dam was replaced, everyone in Brush Creek Valley knows it is a great amplifier of loud noises.
This will have a detrimental effect on numerous residents. Also, will sewer lines ever be installed? If so, this would most likely be in conjunction with the development of Haymeadow, which could mean a decade or more from now. Pit toilets are currently proposed — in an area where the water table is very close to ground level. A study needs to be done to determine the detrimental effects this may have on wells, Brush Creek and the Eagle River.
Support Local Journalism
There are also no guarantees about aspects of the project that may change over time. These include length of stay, dark sky compliance, and any changes from a seasonal campground to year-round camping. With the uncertainties that accompany long-range projects like the Haymeadow development, there are no givens for how Brush Creek Valley is going to change. Adding another project muddies that even further, and a slower approach makes sense.
The result is that the opposition voiced at the meeting was far more than what one would gather from reading the article. It also means that numerous concerns should be addressed before any consideration is given to this project.
Debra Dieter
Eagle
