Plain City Council members are considering whether to limit the length of stays at the Pastime Park Campground in an effort to keep the site open year-round while curbing any issues that may stem from it.
During the most recent council meeting, members heard the first reading of an ordinance that would limit campers to staying at Pastime Park for a maximum of six months out of any 12-month period.
Parks and Recreation Director Linda Granger told council that the Parks and Recreation Committee chose the six-month limit after considering safety, revenue and aesthetics.
She said she researched other campgrounds in Central Ohio that are open year-round to gather information on how they prevent campers from using campsites as their residential address.
Granger said she and the Parks and Recreation Committee feel the six-month limit would prevent campers from establishing residency.
Combined with updated campground rules, which campers must agree to when paying fees to stay, she said it would also ensure the campground is not generating new students in the Jonathan Alder district.
Granger also explained that new software behind the booking system “can block people out” when they attempt to reserve more than six months.
In the past, Parks and Recreation staff would need to manually prevent extended stays.
“I think we have a much better handle on enforcing these things,” Granger said.
Council President James Sintz said, during the last discussion regarding length of stays in January, council “pushed back” on the six-month recommendation and “said we needed more data.”
He said council was unsure which limit – whether six, five or even three months – would most sufficiently address their concerns.
Village Administrator Haley Lupton said the software currently used for the campsite does not compile data, so “it would take a lot of guesswork.”
Ultimately, she said council would have more time to discuss the proposed length of stay given that only a first reading came before council.
Council member Frank Reed, who also sits on the Parks and Recreation Committee, said he “fully supports” the recommended six-month limit because he feels it will prevent residency.
Reed also urged council to allow the Parks and Recreation Committee to review a Community Grant request from the Miami Valley Steam Threshers Association (MVSTA).
The village’s 2023 budget includes $20,000 to be donated to events that support the local community. MVSTA requested $5,000 – the second request received this year. Earlier this month, council approved a $2,000 request from Rock the Clock.
The Steam Threshers’ application indicates that the funds would be used for “marketing, special events, security (and) park rental,”
Ann Weeks, director of MVSTA, wrote that it generally costs the organization about $90,000 to host the four-day event.
Reed claimed that using the community grant funding for things like park rental, electric use, fire and EMS and police coverage “amounts to altering the contract” between the organization and the village.
His fellow council members argued otherwise.
Law Director Paul La Fayette said, if there are issues with a contract, he would like it to be brought to his attention rather than using separate negotiations to “extort them.”
Council member Jim Eudaily said he felt the grant application “has nothing to do with the contract.”
“We established this fund so groups that need a little help (can) get a little help,” he said.
Eudaily said he feels the annual Steam Threshers show is a hallmark event in the community and he feels the village should do its part to support the tourism it attracts.
“If we’re going to push back on this, what other community events would want to come here and be in our parks?” he asked.
Council voted 5-1 to approve the grant application, with Reed dissenting.