Editor’s Note: The Sioux Falls (S.D.) Argus Leader published this editorial on Sunday (Dec. 27).
The months-long process of revising Sioux Falls’ ordinance covering campgrounds has produced a workable compromise that should benefit campground owners and protect tenants.
Initially, city officials proposed to set a 180-day limit on campground stays, and we supported that plan.
The proposal was intended to update the city’s 30-day limit, which hadn’t been changed in decades.
Campground owners, however, opposed any limit, mostly because many visitors now use campgrounds year-round.
The amenities that many recreational vehicles and campers have these days allow for more extended stays.
In the ensuing discussions, city employees, city council members and campground owners worked together to both modernize the city’s ordinance and strike a balance between protection and regulation.
The final version of the agreement, which recently passed the council, eliminates limits on campground stays and sets changes that correspond with state health guidelines.
That’s a good balance.
Along the way, campground owners were instrumental in helping many of us better understand the RV and related industries.
And city officials maintained their responsibility to set guidelines that benefit the public good.
The result is an updated ordinance that’s an improvement on many fronts.
