'Doing the right thing for public safety': Larkspur firefighters oppose camping proposal in Douglas County

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — The Larkspur Fire Protection District is speaking out against a potential, yet controversial, proposal for campsites in Douglas County.

The district voted unanimously Thursday night to approve a resolution opposing a campsite at the Sandstone Ranch Open Space, close to where the Colorado Renaissance Festival takes place every year, an idea produced by the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners. However, there is still no formal proposal about the potential campsite.

"We are presenting to the board with a resolution to adopt, which is kind of our legal avenue at the moment to notify the County Commissioners of Douglas County that we do not feel it is the best option to allow camping on the Sandstone Ranch site," said Larkspur Fire Chief Timothy McCawley. "Cause for concern because it is an open space that is very windy, there's not a whole lot of resources out there so it does bring concern to us, are we doing the right thing for public safety."

Sandstone Ranch Open Space was purchased by Douglas County in January 2018. The 2,038-acre property is home to multiple historical buildings, native grasses and shrubs and an abundance of wildlife. It is also open to hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians, and cross-country skiers in the winter.

"The area is next to some wildlife habitats and rattlesnakes and other habitats for the wildlife that comes out of the forest. Obviously, those presented a danger to the campers," said McCawley. "We all see the news for California, we all see the news for things that happen in our own backyard between Hayman being down here, actually affecting this community years ago and also the wildfires up in Boulder County."

In early January, the plan for the open space took a slight shift when residents bordering the open space learned about a proposal to add five to ten minimalist campsites in Sandstone Ranch.

They would be limited to tents, meaning no RVs or trailers would be permitted. A minimalist campsite is:

• Undeveloped, designated and dispersed sites
• No plumbing, running water or utilities
• Pack in and pack out all belongings and waste

"Even if we say they're not allowed to do campfires and such, there could still be somebody that doesn't obey the law or obey the rules. There could be somebody that tips over their campfire stove, things like that, that create risks. As windy as it is being down in the valley, it could move very quickly," said McCawley.

FOX31 reached out to Douglas County for a response to LFPD's concerns.

A spokesperson said Thursday afternoon, "We are so early in this process and taking feedback ... The most important thing to know is that no decision has been made about camping," at Sandstone Ranch Open Space.