FREMONT- The Fremont City Council voted 7-1 Tuesday evening to approve 6 seasonal camper pads on three lots at Emerson Estates.
The subdivision is located in Inglewood; an area that was devastated by the 2019 spring floods. According to a staff report submitted by Planning Director Jennifer Dam, 10 homes in Emerson Estates were significantly impacted during the floods. On one of the vacant lots being proposed to hold these camping spots, a home was washed away in the flood.
Six camper pads were approved for the subdivision. Three, currently vacant lots will house two pads each, spread evenly among each lot. The camping sites will be leased out seasonally, running from April to October.
The property is currently within the 100-year flood plain, meaning any property built on the currently vacant lots would likely need to be built up several feet or elevated with a garage equipped with flood vents. In Planning Director Dam’s staff report, she stated that the camper pad sites could be a good use of land within the floodplain.
There is often warning prior to a flood, which would allow the campers to be moved prior to a flood event,” she said in the report. “The campers are required to be easily movable with wheels and hitches intact.”
Abby Hendrickson stated that she hopes to move to Fremont in the future and retire in her parent’s home at Emerson Estates, but that she had concerns with letting camping sites into the area.
Hendrickson stated that she believed that bringing in seasonal campers would lower the overall property value of the subdivision. “We can all agree that property owners have the right to make changes,” she said. “This feels like they are putting a band-aid on a much larger problem.”
There is often warning prior to a flood, which would allow the campers to be moved prior to a flood event,” she said in the report. “The campers are required to be easily movable with wheels and hitches intact.”
Abby Hendrickson stated that she hopes to move to Fremont in the future and retire in her parent’s home at Emerson Estates, but that she had concerns with letting camping sites into the area.
Hendrickson stated that she believed that bringing in seasonal campers would lower the overall property value of the subdivision. “We can all agree that property owners have the right to make changes,” she said. “This feels like they are putting a band-aid on a much larger problem.”
Laura Griffis, co-owner of Emerson Estates said, “If it would bring down the value of the area we would not do this,” she said. Griffin and her husband own 10 homes and improvements in the subdivision.
In her staff report, Dam wrote that the proposal would not make the area less desirable, noting that the flood plain limits the ability of the property to be developed.
Council member Kuhns said his perspective as a flood victim helped him level with Griffis.
Council member Kuhns said his perspective as a flood victim helped him level with Griffis.
“Sometimes adjustments need to be made,” he said. “I can appreciate Laura’s efforts to recover from this and look at ways to salvage what they’ve got.”
Council member Jensen introduced an amendment that would require Griffis to revisit the plan in two years to get perspective from residents in the subdivision to help compromise with concerned residents at Emerson Estates. The amendment also required landscaping to be done around the vacant lots.
The amendment was seconded by Jacobus and was approved 7-1, with council member Glen Ellis voting in opposition. Jensen then made a motion to approve the amended resolution, which carried 7-1 with Ellis being the lone vote in opposition.
Council member Legband made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 11:02 p.m., which carried 5-4 with Mayor Getzschman breaking the tie to end the meeting. Council members Jacobus, Jensen, Yerger and Ellis voted in opposition.
