By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Ellis County Joint Planning Commission recommended a conditional-use permit for the C2T Ranch campground and event venue at its meeting Wednesday night.
Two people spoke against the project, and Nathan Leiker, planning commissioner, abstained in the vote, saying he did not feel he could support or reject the proposal without further information.
Chad and Cynthia Tuttle own C2T Ranch, which is 14 miles north of Hays at 1202 Saline River Road.
The proposed campground would consist of up to 36 campsites along a loop of the Saline River. Each campsite will have river access and will be accessible by vehicles and RVs. The couple is planning 12 primitive campsites, 12 RV sites with 50-amp power and water, six yurt sites, and six full-service RV sites with power and water hookups.
The couple is also planning an outdoor event venue. Periodic flooding along the river will prevent the developers from building a permanent structure, but the couple plans to build a large deck that can be used to mount a 40-by-80-foot tent.
This can be used for outdoor events or weddings, Tuttle said. Capacity would be up to 300 people.
Neighbor's opposition
Chad Taylor, an attorney representing a neighboring landowner DOT LLC, expressed multiple concerns about the campground development.
He said his greatest concern is the roads leading to the site are not capable of handling the traffic the campground will potentially generate.
He also had concerns about how law enforcement and emergency responders would be able to reach the campground if an RV accident would block Saline River Road, the road that would be used to access the campground.
Chad Tuttle said he contacted both the Ellis County Public Works Department, as well as local law enforcement about the planned development.
The public works officials said they did not plan to make changes on the road in light of the development. He also noted the road handles oilfield heavy-truck traffic on a regular basis.
The neighbor uses his property primarily for hunting. Taylor said the landowner was concerned about conflicts between hunters and campers during the hunting season.
Taylor said fencing and signage needs to be improved to keep campers off of the neighboring property. He said there have already been issues with the Tuttles' cattle getting out and being on the neighbor's property.
Tuttle said he already has the land leased for hunting, and last year blocked out dates for camping during the hunting season.
He said he is willing to install signage if it is needed.
Taylor also expressed concerns about how septic waste and trash would be dealt with.
"What scares my client is obviously with that close a proximity to the river, people do stupid things," he said. "If you dump chemical toilets into rivers, it has a bad, negative side effects."
Tuttle said he was not going to allow septic dumping at the campground. He has been directing RVs to dump at commercial dumping sites in Hays or Ellis. The Tuttles also plan to have portable toilets on site.
Trash will be handled by a refuse company out of Plainville, and recycling will be taken to the Hays recycling facility, Tuttle said.
Taylor expressed concern about the lack of specificity of the application, saying the proposal also includes a bed and breakfast and food service in the future.
"What the applicant appears to be asking for in this application is everything," Taylor said, "to be able to have a rubber stamp to come in and do everything that they want to do without the required specificity ..."
Zimmerman opposition
Leanne Zimmerman, who also proposed an event center north of Hays this year, also spoke in opposition of the campground and event venue.
Zimmerman had a lengthy list of reasons why she opposed the CT2 proposal. She repeatedly cited quotes of county commissioners and petitioners who spoke at the February county commission meeting at which her request was denied.
"[County commissioner] Butch Schlyer said an event enter does not fit in with our comprehensive wide plan," Zimmerman said. "If it didn't fit in in January and February with that respect of time, tell me how it's going to fit in now."
The Tuttles opened four camp sites to visitors last spring. Both Taylor and Zimmerman asked what the ramifications would be for the Tuttles operating their site without a conditional-use permit.
Chad Tuttle told the commission he believed a location with less than eight camping sites is not considered a commercial campground.
"It is not true that we are trying to get away with anything," Tuttle said. "In reality, what we are trying to do is that anything we develop down there is done correctly."
Floodplain and emergency plan
Zimmerman expressed concerns about the campground being located in the floodplain.
Chad Tuttle said he had met with the Kansas Department of Health Environment and the campground will meet state regulations for its location in a flood plain.
The Tuttles are creating an emergency plan. They have developed an emergency warning system that will allow the Tuttles to alert campers of emergencies via their cellphones. A tornado shelter is also being built for campers.
Staff noted in its report to the commission a campground is one of the few uses for the land except agriculture because of its location in a flood plain.
Tuttle said he implements burn bans and restricts camp fires when conditions are dry. They are also going to have a water trailer on site for quick response to a fire.
Water
Zimmerman also expressed concern about the availability of potable water at the campground. Tuttle said they are in the process of drilling a new well for not only their own home, but for a public water supply.
If this well doesn't produce water, the Tuttles plan to tap into the Trego County water system.
Commission response
"This a natural resource of Ellis County," Commissioner Brett Schmidt said. "To say people shouldn't use it except for the cattle ... Lucky cattle, that's an awesome place to be grazing. This is a great place for people to come and see what we have to offer."
Board Chairman David McDaniel said this is an example of agritourism, which is outlined in the county's comprehensive development plan.
The permit request will next go before the Ellis County Commission for final approval. That meeting will be May 17.
The protest period for the permit runs now through May 12.