Officials in Williston, N.D., are going to make it harder for transient workers who live in their RVs to find seasonal sites in county-owned campgrounds, the Williston Herald reported.
With the increasing oil activity and lack of housing in recent years, people had been resorting to county campgrounds as places to stay in this northwestern corner of the state.
That is soon to change.
Williams County Auditor Beth Innis said the county park board is working on strengthening rules barring people from trying to live for expended periods in county parks.
“They’re county parks. You’re supposed to go out and recreate,” Innis said.
Currently, visitors to county parks can stay up to 14 days.
“Then you have to leave, not just move to another space,” Innis said.
Innis said the board is looking to hire a full-time park manager.
The new park manager will be charged with making sure people are recreating while at parks.
“They have to be staying at the site during the day,” Innis said.
Innis said the board is also planning on raising park fees.
Rates are set to be increased from $10 per day to $15 per day for sites with electricity. Sites without electricity are to be raised from $5 to $10.
Innis said county officials are anticipating a large influx of people to the area this summer.
“I think there’s going to be a lot of people coming in because I’ve gotten a ton of calls,” Innis said.
She said it’s unfortunate that people won’t have much in the way of options for places to stay.
However, she said the county needs to ensure that the parks are being used for what they’re intended.
Innis said despite this, people will are likely to keep coming.
“I just think that it’s going to be a real challenge for someone to find a place to stay,” Innis said.
