A Dittmer man’s attempt to revive a longtime campground was rejected by the Jefferson County Council.
The council voted 4-3 April 11 to approve a resolution denying a rezoning request and development plan for Skullbones Camp.
James Jochens said he bought the former campground, a 22.4-acre property on Skullbones Road about a half-mile from Ficken Road, about four years ago and proceeded with his plans for the property more than a year ago. However, the land is zoned large-lot residential and the commercial uses that Jochens planned are not allowed in that zoning. After he met with planning officials in March, he decided to request planned mixed zoning.
The camp, which went out of business years ago, operated before planning and zoning controls were instituted in Jefferson County.
The Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Commission earlier recommended denial of Jochens’ request.
At a March 14 public hearing before the County Council, which has the ultimate authority to rezone property in unincorporated areas, three members of the public spoke in favor of the request while four spoke against it.
County Council members who voted against the plan opposed it primarily because the only access to the property from Ficken Road, a county road, is through Skullbones Road, a narrow, one-lane, gated private road that travels through a residential neighborhood and through Jochens’ property before ending at two additional homes. Some of the road is in the flood plain and floodway of Skullbones Creek.
The resolution to deny the rezoning noted that the commercial property would be situated between two patches of residential areas, with the nearest commercial enterprises at least a half-mile away, at Hwy. 30 and Ficken Road.
The resolution further noted that Skullbones Road is inadequate to handle commercial uses like a recreation area.
Joseph Schicker, who lives in one of the two homes at the south end of Skullbones Road, said he has been bothered by noise from the activity at the camp.
“The music is blaring, there are bands, loudspeakers,” he said. “It rattles my windows. This is an area where we want to live peaceful lives.”
Schicker also said people attending activities at the camp have trespassed on his property.
Beau Govreau of Cedar Hill, who owns property next to Skullbones Camp, said Jochens has held activities there without obtaining proper permits.
“Why should he be rewarded and get everything he wants with all the wrong he has done?” Govreau said. “New development in the county should be held to a higher standard.”
David Vonarx of VonArx Engineering of Hillsboro, who represented Jochens, told the council his client had redrawn his proposal and omitted plans to use the property as a wedding venue and banquet center because of objections raised by neighbors and the P and Z board.
“A pavilion that was in our original plans also is no longer proposed,” Vonarx said. “There is an existing pavilion that we’d like to use. We feel that this is a low-impact use. It will be a seasonal use. Sand volleyball will only be played when it’s warm, April to October, and primarily in the evening. They do play music during the games but there’s no public address system. There’s only one Bluetooth speaker.”
He also said Jochens would pay to put guard rails on parts of the road where they would be needed and agreed to widen it in places.
Joshua Williams, who lives on Hwy. 30, said Jochens has improved the site.
“I believe what he has done to the property is an asset to the county as a whole,” Williams said. “We had my son’s birthday party there when he turned 15. It’s a great place for events.”
Sarah Partney of Catawissa said she stayed in one of the three homes on the site, which Jochens has been renting out as Airbnb cabins, and enjoyed her stay.
Laura Massey of Cedar Hill said the area needs a recreation area.
“There’s nothing else in this area for kids to do,” she said. “Let this business continue to exist.”
Councilman Phil Hendrickson (District 3, Arnold), said he voted against the plans because the private road leading to a commercial venue against county standards was too high a hurdle for him.
“If we approve this request, it will be nearly impossible to enforce the (zoning codes) in the future,” he said.
Hendrickson, Charles Groeteke (District 4, Barnhart), Renee Reuter (District 2, Imperial) and Dan Stallman (District 6, De Soto) voted for the resolution denying Jochens’ request.