‘We’re cleaning it up’
Glorieta Camps tries to reassure neighbors facility is working to comply with county regulations
Glorieta Camps is working with Santa Fe County to obtain retroactive approval of construction and other development on the property, a development manager for the camp told more than 40 neighbors.
“Here’s the bottom line: The milk is spilled,” Colleen Gavin, a partner in the Santa Fe development management firm of JenkinsGavin, told neighbors Wednesday evening at the camp. “It’s time to clean it up. And we’re cleaning it up.”
In February, staff from the county Growth Management Department and the county fire marshal said an inspection of the camp found unapproved development on the property, such as zip line structures, lake slides, diving boards, decks, a remodeled coffee shop, new mountain biking trails and a new skeet shooting range. Inspectors also said they found a large parcel of land being used for solid waste disposal without a permit.
Prior to the meeting with neighbors, Glorieta Camps issued a statement saying 250 tons of construction debris, mostly lumber and metal, have been removed from the property.
“The primary concern was combustibility of waste cardboard and wood, which the county defined as ‘hazardous waste,’ ” the statement said.
On its 2,400-acre property in Glorieta, the Christian camp runs popular summer programs for children of all faiths, as well as other outdoor activities for youth and adults. The property was formerly known as the Glorieta Conference Center.
Glorieta Camps said in its statement that it identified 24 structures out of 205 lacking proper permitting for construction or remodeling. Gavin said the county has advised the organization that all 24 structures are allowable. Glorieta Camps said in its statement it submitted the first permit applications this month.
“We bought this property to continue providing outstanding outdoor and spiritual experiences for our customers,” Anthony Scott, the camp’s executive director, said. “The recent scrutiny from the
state and county helps us become even better than before.”
Glorieta Camps said its zip line will not be available for use this summer because of the time needed to obtain county approval.
The county is requiring that Glorieta Camps submit a site development plan, which requires neighborhood notification.
That led to Wednesday evening’s meeting.
Neighbors vented a host of concerns, including complaints about water use by the camp, restricted access through camp property to the Santa Fe National Forest, children and cows from the camp wandering onto adjacent properties, and noise generated by megaphones and the shooting range.