Camper village......FAIL!

DSShives said:

Thats a pretty strong opinion for someone who has never stayed at Camper Village.

Maybe so, but those things with which I find fault haven't been disputed on this thread. Whether I ever stay at CV or not won't change those facts. Unless you are suggesting that there is some magical, heretofore-undiscussed quality about the campground -- er, resort -- that would somehow change my mind.

I believe you're correct that it really isn't a campground after all. It apparently offers very few of the amenities or diversions that an actual campground would provide. On the other hand, it isn't a resort either, for the same reason. Therefore, I resubmit my opinion: it's a parking lot for RVs. A very expensive, very likely overrated parking lot.for RVs.

It's entirely possible that the Sandusky ordinance says something like no ground fires within x feet of another camp site, which may allow KOA to get away with it while Camper Village can't.

What I don't get is how people find value at CV. Considering the cost of gas, wear & tear on your rig, and dealing with the prep, drive, set-up, clean up and so on, it just seems like a really expensive way to, as Mike rightly points out, spend a few days in a parking lot where you can't do anything camp-like.

I'll take LHP over that nonsense any day.

Mike - RV == Camper.

Hence why it is called Camper Village. Not because you actually camp, but because it is a place to put your camper.

There are plenty of places like this that call themselves "campgrounds" but are really glorified tornado magnets. Thankfully, the temporary nature of CV keeps the magnetism down and hasn't caused any issues.

Value because for 5 nights I paid $325 to stay in the middle of the park. One night at Lighthouse point was $319 for the same area I was at. Yes I had to pay $45 in gas for getting it there, But i would have had to pay $30 if I wasn't dragging the camper.

The city I live in has had a no ground fire ordinance for as long as I can remember. That generally just makes sense. The park is located within the city, so the law applies to them whether you (or the park) likes it or not.

I don't think the other campground is in the city limits. I think it's in one of the surrounding townships.

djDaemon said:
What I don't get is how people find value at CV. Considering the cost of gas, wear & tear on your rig, and dealing with the prep, drive, set-up, clean up and so on, it just seems like a really expensive way to, as Mike rightly points out, spend a few days in a parking lot where you can't do anything camp-like.

I'll take LHP over that nonsense any day.

But when you are at CP are you really there to do camp like things? The value in CV lies in the fact that you get a very nice level site for your RV for much less than a hotel room so you can do CP like things.

That's kind of like saying that just because you're staying at Breakers, you don't need room service or a swimming pool, let alone wireless internet. After all, you're just there for the park, aren't you?

Jeff: I think you're probably right. I remember looking at a map not too long ago and noticing that Cedar Point itself and the Causeway are within Sandusky city limits, but US-6 from basically the end of the Causeway all the way out past the end of Cedar Point and beyond is all Perkins Township. If it weren't for the Causeway, Cedar Point wouldn't even be *contiguous* with the City of Sandusky.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Ensign Smith said:
That's kind of like saying that just because you're staying at Breakers, you don't need room service or a swimming pool, let alone wireless internet. After all, you're just there for the park, aren't you?

Breakers is well over $200 a night, cv is only $65-$90 a night. Next time you are at the park,take a walk around the campground during the day. It is usually void of many people because they are enjoying the park. Cv is only there to srash at night and eat during the day. The park is the attraction, not the campgrounds. I could never be able to afford any other resort at the park for a week. I can afford 2 weeks during the year at camper village. That allows me to take my family there alot to enjoy the park and eachother!

The entire peninsula, as well as the KOA campground, are inside the city.

This map (PDF) shows the city boundaries.

I agree with Walt, and much more importantly, so does my map of Erie County. The Welcome to Sandusky sign (and the drop in the speed limit) is well before the busy area near Remington and just west of the airport. It's about a mile east of my place. :)

Roz

I agree that camper village is just a parking lot for rv's.

It in no way resembles an average person's view on camping.

If that map is right, perhaps the law is attached to zoning regulations. I'm suspicious of the map though, as it's rare that any cities in Ohio have borders that clean. There are often little pieces of townships that fought annexation spread all over the place. In fact, I'm near the very center of the city I live in, and the two properties behind me are remnants of the township, surrounded by city.

I can't speak for other cities, but I know from experience that, in this case, the map is correct.

This is what is printed on the Camper Village map:

"In accordance with the Sandusky Fire Code, ground fires are prohibited. Please do not leave grill fires unattended."

It looks like the Sandusky Fire Code adopts the Ohio Fire Code, with a couple of minor differences. I'm not a lawyer, nor do I have the patience to comb through the state's fire code :) , but there are several references to open fire related to distance from other material. My guess is that KOA has worked within the rules applying to open flame, while Cedar Point (perhaps by choice) is not.

Jeff -- I would trust Walt on this one. The map is correct. The Bayshore / KOA is within the city limits.

I've rode/drove on US 6 past the KOA many many times for many many years. The city limits actually start at the very end of the airport a little bit before the Welcome to Sandusky (and drop in speed limit) signs next to a little gravel maintenance access drive for the airport that the cops like to hide in at times. :) You usually can see a distinct change line across the in the asphalt on US 6 where the line is. -- It's well before the KOA.

The thing I found interesting about the map is it shows the strip of land around the Chausee Road on the mainland all the way out to US6 as in city limits. (I didn't know that was the case. -- I always thought it ended a little before you got out to US6.)

Anyway, more back to topic, I'm pretty sure it's got to be something about the ordnance like you can't have a ground fire within X feet of something where the KOA can meet it while Camper Village can not and I would not be surprised if the city has more strict restrictions on the peninsula.

I believe the same fire station for the city of Sandusky (on 3rd street) that is a regular responder for CP is the same responder for the KOA. (The KOA is much a shorter drive with much more direct access and less traffic to negotiate). Also I know for a fact there is a huge water main that runs along US6 in front of the KOA. Who knows what kind of pipes they have all the way at the back by Camper Village -- keep in mind stuff has been on the peninsula for over what 150 years?

The section of the city where the KOA is was developed much later and is at the very edge of any development in the the city.

Also another unique thing about Camper Village is that it sits at the end of the peninsula pretty much right next to the only shipping channel and main navigation channel in and out of Sandusky Bay. (Not to mention the shipping channel makes about a 90 degree very tight bend with huge range markers the ships use to line up in the center of the channel.) I could see the city not wanting any risk of having a major ground fire due to human stupidity right next to the shipping channel that would cause unsafe conditions that would force closure of the shipping channel (and closure of the city shipping docks) for any period of time during the shipping season.

skiboi007 said:I believe the same fire station for the city of Sandusky (on 3rd street) that is a regular responder for CP is the same responder for the KOA. (The KOA is much a shorter drive with much more direct access and less traffic to negotiate). Also I know for a fact there is a huge water main that runs along US6 in front of the KOA. Who knows what kind of pipes they have all the way at the back by Camper Village -- keep in mind stuff has been on the peninsula for over what 150 years?

That station is on 5th street;)

But I doubt that has much to do with it. Camper Village and LHP has fire hydrants throughout the campground. Not to mention the Cedar Point Fire Department (which operates a full size pumper)is just about 100 yards from the entrance to Camper Village.

Sorry about that mix-up on the streets, 99er... my memory is not as good as it used to be as I get older ;)

I still would not be surprised if the city has more strict regulations on ground fires on the peninsula since their are only 2 roads off it.

skiboi007 said:
I've rode/drove on US 6 past the KOA many many times for many many years. The city limits actually start at the very end of the airport a little bit before the Welcome to Sandusky (and drop in speed limit) signs next to a little gravel maintenance access drive for the airport that the cops like to hide in at times. :) You usually can see a distinct change line across the in the asphalt on US 6 where the line is. -- It's well before the KOA.

Like I said, that doesn't mean anything here in Ohio, the way municipalities were carved out of townships around the Western Reserve, and picked at for the next 150 years through annexation. There are no corp limit signs around the thousand feet of road near me where city becomes township.

But that said, I suspect the more likely situation is that the fire ordinance is tied to specific zoning regulations.

skiboi007 said:I believe the same fire station for the city of Sandusky (on 3rd street) that is a regular responder for CP is the same responder for the KOA. (The KOA is much a shorter drive with much more direct access and less traffic to negotiate). Also I know for a fact there is a huge water main that runs along US6 in front of the KOA. Who knows what kind of pipes they have all the way at the back by Camper Village -- keep in mind stuff has been on the peninsula for over what 150 years?

Response times has alot of factors to go into it. It also depends on if the city has adopted NFPA code. NFPA code also dictates the distance of hydrants, the size of water mains, and the GPM that each main must flow. I doubt that the mains out on the Penisula are 150 years old, they were wood back then and could not handle that amount of presure and be no longer intact. Cities do not have to adopt NFPA Codes and Standards, becasue alot of time they would have to up their staffing on departments ect. NFPA Codes are usally selectively adopted and become hot topics when Contracts with unions or Fatalites happen.