Cost of developing Stuart Park campground estimated at $150,000
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — The cost of developing the Stuart Park campground is estimated at $150,000, which includes $30,000 for the land even though the Village of Colfax already owns the park.
Jeff Prince, village trustee and chair of the parks committee, presented information about the start-up costs for the Stuart Park campground at the Colfax Village Board’s August 8 meeting.
Stuart Park is located on the north side of state Highway170 east of Tom Prince Memorial Park.
Jody Albricht, village president, asked where the numbers had come from and whether the parks committee had received any quotes.
The numbers for the start-up cost were generated by Bob Bossany of the Dunn County Economic Development Corporation, Prince said.
The parks committee has not received any quotes or estimates for the work to develop the park, he said.
Bossany previously worked as the director of DCEDC, then worked at AgStar Financial Services, and is now working with DCEDC again.
There are no bids or estimates. The numbers are a “guess-timation,” said Rand Bates, director of public works.
Bossany ran the numbers, and the numbers look promising on paper, Prince said.
The next step is to apply for some grants because there is grant money available, he said.
The estimate is an income of $68,000 annually, said Lynn Niggemann, village administrator-clerk-treasurer.
The biggest “leeway” is the land because the village already owns the park, Bates said.
The numbers provide information for the village board to review. The next step is to see what is available for grants, Prince said.
A perc test will be conducted this week, Bates said.
Dunn County only allows so many campsites per acre, and 1.19 acres allows 21 campsites, Prince said.
The entire property is about three acres, but the bathrooms and the wetlands next to river reduce the amount of land available for campsites to 1.19 acres, he said, noting that the original plan had been for 25 campsites.
Several village board members asked if there would be a problem with building a campground in a floodplain.
As long as the village has a floodplain ordinance, the county is not involved in the development of Stuart Park as a campground, Prince said.
Floodplain ordinance
Colfax does have a floodplain zoning ordinance that is included in Chapter 2 of the village’s zoning code (Title 13 of the ordinances).
Colfax also has a shoreland-wetland zoning ordinance included in Chapter 3 of the village’s zoning code (Title 13 of the ordinances).
The floodplain ordinance and the shoreland-wetland ordinance do not specifically list campgrounds as a permitted use.
The floodplain ordinance lists “nonstructural” private and public recreational uses, such as golf courses, tennis courts, driving ranges, archery ranges, picnic grounds, boat launching ramps, swimming areas, parks, wildlife and nature preserves, game farms, fish hatcheries, shooting preserves, target ranges, trap and skeet ranges, hunting and fishing areas, and hiking and horseback riding trails.
The shoreland-wetland ordinance also does not specifically include campgrounds as a permitted use and states that a zoning permit is required for the establishment and development of public and private parks and recreation areas; outdoor education areas; historic, natural and scientific areas; game refuges and closed areas; fish and wildlife habitat improvement projects; game bird and animal farms; wildlife preserves; and public boat launching ramps.
The building inspector will act as the zoning administrator, according to the ordinance.
The ordinances also include a number of other requirements.
The floodplain ordinance, for example, states that “upon receiving an application for development within the general floodplain district, the Zoning Administrator shall: (a) require the applicant to submit, at the time of application, two copies of an aerial photograph or a plan which accurately locates the proposed development with respect to the general floodplain district limits, channel of stream, existing floodplain developments, together with all pertinent information, such as the nature of the proposal, legal description of the property, fill limits and elevations, building flood elevations and flood proofing measures. (b) Require the application to furnish any of the following additional information as deemed necessary by the Department for evaluation of the effects of the proposal upon flood height and flood flows, the regional flood elevation and where applicable to determine the boundaries of the floodway: (1) A typical valley cross-section showing the channel of the stream, the floodplain adjoining each side of the channel, the cross-sectional area to be occupied by the proposed development and all historic high-water information. (2) Plan (surface view) showing elevations or contours of the ground; pertinent structure, fill or storage elevations; size, location and spatial arrangement of all proposed and existing structures on the site; location and elevation of streets, water supply and sanitary facilities; soil types and other pertinent information. (3) Profile showing the scope of the bottom of the channel or flow line of the stream. (4) Specifications for building construction and materials, flood-proofing, filling, dredging, channel improvement, storage of materials, water supply and sanitary facilities.”
The ordinances also have public hearing requirements for any proposals.
The cost estimate for developing the campground does not include any legal fees or fees for engineers or consultants to help fulfill the requirements included in the floodplain and shoreland-wetland ordinances or any fees for mapping associated with the proposed development.
Electrical
The question will be how to install electrical hookups for the campground to keep them from being flooded out, Albricht said at the August 8 village board meeting.
The Red Cedar River generally floods Stuart Park in the spring when the snow is melting.
The Red Cedar River also has flooded the park occasionally during the summer after periods of heavy rain.
A plan for how to install the electrical hookups to avoid floodwaters will be ready soon, Prince said.
The electrical hookups will have to be above the regional floodplain elevation, Bates said.
Including information and maps about the regional floodplain elevation is included in the requirements of the village’s ordinances.
The electrical plan will be needed to be able to get quotes for costs, Prince said.
Estimates are “a shot in the dark” until quotes have been obtained, Albricht said.
The estimates are on the high side, and Bossany said it “looks good” for cash flow, said Gary Stene, village trustee and a member of the parks committee.
Dunn County officials did say the campground could not have any permanent camp sites, Prince said, noting that he had never planned on including permanent campsites at the campground.
Estimates
The cost estimate for developing Stuart Park as a campground includes $50,000 for a restroom building; $5,000 for water improvements and pump upgrades; $10,000 for water lateral extensions and upgrades; $20,000 for electric power extension; $10,000 for campsite development; $5,000 for a boat ramp upgrade; $1,000 for security lights; $3,000 for security cameras; and $5,000 for tables, garbage cans and signs.
The village’s floodplain ordinance states that “no new well or modifications to an existing well, used to obtain water for ultimate human consumption, or modifications to an existing well, shall be allowed in a floodway area. Any replacement, repair or maintenance of an existing well in a floodway area shall meet the applicable provisions of all municipal ordinances and Chapters NR 111 and NR 112, Wisconsin Administrative Code.”
The ordinance also states that in flood fringe areas “public facilities, such as water or sewer, will not be installed.”
In another section of the ordinance pertaining to flood fringe areas, the ordinance states, “All public or private wells shall be flood-proofed to the flood protection elevation, pursuant to Section 13-2-65, and shall meet the applicable provisions of Chapters NR 11 and NR 112, Wisconsin Administrative Code.”
Other business
In other business, the Colfax Village Board:
• Approved waiving the fee for the Colfax FFA Alumni to use the Colfax Fairgrounds August 27 for Tractor Fest.
• Approved a temporary “Class “B”/ “Class B” retailer’s license for the Colfax FFA Alumni for Tractor Fest at the Colfax Fairgrounds August 27.
• Learned there had been a pre-construction meeting for the project on the Red Cedar River to keep the river from washing out the wastewater treatment lagoons. The in-depth meeting on Friday, August 5, included the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the state Department of Natural Resources, a representative from CBS Squared, and the contractor, Niggemann said. Equipment was expected to be brought in the week after the village board meeting. The project completion date is October 24. The contractor will be working Monday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Learned there is a problem with the Medic 8 ambulance with the turbocharger, which will be covered under an extended warranty. The ambulance is expected to be back in service soon.
