The park will be located about one mile east of the Town of Norwood and adjacent to the cemetery off Highway 145 on a 39-acre parcel owned by Demian Brooks. It will be approximately five acres with the rest of the site remaining agricultural.
The San Miguel Board of County Commissioners approved rezoning the parcel and the special use permit for the RV park on April 24.
It will be operational eight months out of the year, from mid-March through mid-November.
San Miguel County Senior Planner John Huebner told the commissioners that construction will be completed in two separate phases.
The first phase of construction will include creating 26 pull-through spaces for RVs, 10 of which will have hookups to water, power and septic, while 16 will have hookups to water and power only.
Also included in the construction will be five spaces for sprinter vans without hookups, one male/female bathhouse and a bear-proof trash and recycling area.
Fourteen more pull-through spaces will be added in the second phase of construction, which will require additional review by the Planning Commission, along with five cabins that will have power and water.
Huebner said two employees will manage the park, one of which will be living on-site at an existing nearby residence.
Commissioner Lance Waring addressed the potential fire danger associated with the park.
Brooks assured the commissioners that no fireplaces or grills will be permitted on the site and fire extinguishers will also be provided every 75 feet in lieu of hydrants.
There is also an existing agricultural retention pond northeast of the site, which will be used for fire suppression if necessary.
“I’ve spent more than $20,000 putting that pond in,” Brooks said. “I have water rights that I can use to try and keep that pond full. I will do everything I can.”
Waring said his biggest concern is careless smokers.
“You might consider…having your on-site reps inform people if we are in a Stage 3 fire ban situation that smoking is prohibited,” he said. “This is not a huge fire risk area, but anytime you congregate a large number of people, unexpected things can happen.”
Brooks told The Norwood Post on Wednesday that he is aware of the fire danger and takes it very seriously.
“I live out here and I am petrified of fires,” he said. “I came up with the idea of absolutely no outdoor fires. I wanted nothing to do with people having fires there.”
Those visiting can stay at the park for no more than 30 consecutive days and no more than 30 days in a 120-day period.
Brooks asked for an exception to the rule, allowing for five extended-stay spots, specifically for use by construction/trade workers for up to 90 days.
He said the idea came about after talking to a man who was living at an RV park in Montrose and commuting daily to Telluride for a construction job.
“He was traveling 140 miles roundtrip to work in Telluride,” Brooks said. “Here, workers will be able to stay in the RV park and work in Telluride, either by taking the bus or driving.”
While the park could, in theory, hold up to 200 people, Brooks said it isn’t likely to reach maximum capacity.
Wright’s Mesa resident Bobby Starks, who lives nearby, previously raised concerns about campers’ dogs running loose and disturbing his cattle.
In response, Brooks said he plans to construct a large fenced-in area for dogs; otherwise, while in the RV park, all dogs are required to be leashed.
Brooks told The Norwood Post that he first got the idea for an RV park about four years ago.
“A lot of people with RVs come through this area and don’t realize there is not a single RV park in San Miguel County, and they can’t park overnight anywhere,” he said, adding that the potential economic impact on the town “could be huge.”
“These are people who come with, sometimes, million-dollar rigs and they stay here and spend money in our little town, and then they leave,” he said. “It couldn’t be better.”
While the prices aren’t finalized, Brooks estimated it will cost about $25-30 per night for a spot without hookups and $50 per night for those wanting access to water, power and septic.
He hopes construction will start within the next 45 days and he plans to hire as many locals as possible for the job.
While the park won’t be fully completed for about three years, Brooks is looking to get approval for 10-15 “dry” camping spots this summer, which would allow people to park their RVs on the site without any amenities.
“I’m risking a lot to see if there’s a need for this,” Brooks said. “I think there is.”
He encourages anyone with suggestions or concerns to contact him directly at ophirpilot@gmail.com.
