DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — Douglas County Commissioners officially shut down the idea of allowing minimalist campsites at Sandstone Ranch on Tuesday, but the county isn't closed off to the camping idea entirely.
Denver7 has been following the county's proposal to bring five to 10 minimalist camping sites to Sandstone Ranch for months and this is the latest update.
Following months of community feedback and further fire risk analysis, the board decided not to pursue camping at Sandstone Ranch any further.
"We felt like the time was now to reassure the public that we were going to abandon dispersed camping at Sandstone Ranch for the foreseeable future," said Douglas County Commissioner George Teal.
But now, the county plans to put together a task force to study camping at other open spaces because there is some interest.
"I hope to hear from a lot of the people that came out and said no to Sandstone because from a lot of them, we heard 'No, dispersed camping is a good idea. Minimalist camping is a good idea, but that's the wrong place,'" Teal explained.
A spring survey of over 3,600 Douglas County residents showed 45% consider creating several county-owned and operated campgrounds a "medium priority," while 13% consider it a "high priority" and 7% a "very high priority."
Larkspur resident Gary Wood told Denver7 he is grateful the open space will stay protected.
"This is a magnificent place, and it deserves to have the protection that they gave it today," he said.
The below map shows Sandstone Ranch Open Space and the previously proposed camping area.
Denver7 met Wood in April out at the ranch where he proudly displayed homemade signs pushing back against the idea of camping here.
"Not here, it's not built for that," Wood told us at the time.
Wood told Denver7 Tuesday that he's open to being a part of the task force to figure out where camping may be more suitable.
But for now, he said he's walking away confident the county can find a balance between camping and protecting public spaces.
"We can protect the dangerous areas and we can bring camping into the county," Wood said.
Denver7 reached out to the Larkspur fire chief, who sent us a statement about the update:
The Larkspur Fire Protection District is happy to hear the Douglas County Commissioners have listened to the concerns of the community and the fire district. We look forward to helping them find a solution to allow those that want to use the County spaces for recreation that makes sense. We are excited to be a helping partner in the future. Thank you the county commissioners for being so open to the dangers that this posed to the area and their willingness to find other options.
