Jacksonport Campground Has New DOT Condition

The Door County Zoning Board of Adjustment (BOA) wrestled with two legal issues for members of the Lauritzen family, who have proposed an RV campground on Highway 57 in Jacksonport.

A group of Jacksonport residents hired an attorney to challenge the board’s April 24, 2018, decision to grant a conditional use permit for the campground. That decision included 23 conditions that the Lauritzens had to meet.

The case went before Door County Circuit Court Judge David Weber, who ruled that the board acted according to the law. However, Weber did ask the board to address details in condition 11, regarding discouraging campers from making left turns from the campground onto Bagnall Road; and in condition 19, requiring the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to review the proposed development and safety issues at the intersection of Highway 57 and Bagnall Road.

The county Land Use Services Department made recommendations to the BOA, with assistance from corporation counsel Grant Thomas. In both instances, the Lauritzens were given 45 days to petition the town and the DOT to address the individual issues, and then 12 months to get a response from those two entities. If the Lauritzens either failed to file within the 45 days or get responses within 12 months, the conditional use permit would be revoked, and they would have to start the whole process all over.

Board member Monica Nelson didn’t think it was fair that the Lauritzens were now facing more stringent conditions than were originally placed on them.

Regarding the town ordinance issue, the board voted to remove the language that revokes the conditional use permit if there is no response in 12 months, but they kept it in place for the more important safety issues with the DOT assessment, with Monica Nelson being the only member to vote against it.

After the meeting, Kathy Navis and Gay Pustaver, who have been leading the resistance against the campground, said they would probably appeal Weber’s decision.

Cheri Lauritzen said the family will meet the conditions in the hope of opening the campground.