The Sanford City Council is considering a moratorium on new campgrounds this week, responding in part to a proposal to open a new local campground promising an upscale camping experience.

At the council’s next meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, the council will hold its second reading and possible vote on an ordinance to place a six-month moratorium on all new campgrounds in the city. 

In a memo describing the moratorium, City Manager Steven Buck called the proposed measure a “temporary pause” to give the council time to review possibly outdated local ordinances regulating campgrounds.

“There are a number of recent site plans proposing new campgrounds,” Buck wrote. “Abutters have raised concerns on the current standards within zoning as to the application and placement of these campgrounds as not sufficiently addressing offsite impacts.” 

Buck did not indicate how many site plans there were or where, but one new campground proposal is Sand Pond Camping Resort, a proposed campground on a 113-acre property located between the shore of Sand Pond and Country Club Road (Route 4).

The proposal, according to a website promoting the new resort, includes cabins and RV hookups. Owners Michael and Bonnie Patterson call the new campground a “glampground.”

According to the national camping website Kampgrounds of America, the trend of “Glamping” has been growing over the past 10 years. Shorthand for “Glamorous Camping,” glamping is essentially camping without traditional tents brought in by the campers. It involves permanent structures on the campgrounds ranging from safari tents to yurts to cabins and even tree houses. Glamping usually also includes varying degrees of modern conveniences, such as cots or proper toilets, that are not usually available on a traditional campground.

In previous public hearings, residents have complained that such upscale camping sites are not the same as traditional campgrounds, and should be regulated accordingly. Others complained about traffic and noise that would be generated by glamping-related businesses.