Rescind The Connecticut Shoreline Campground 21 Day Stay Law (CT Gen. Statute, Chapter 447, Sec. 23-16a)

BACKGROUND:

In an effort to eliminate the shantytown effect that had developed in the shoreline campgrounds of Hammonasset and Rocky Neck State Parks in the 1960s, the State of Connecticut enacted a law to phase out long-term camping in those parks.

In 1971, Chapter 447, Sec. 23-16a. Long-term leasing of camp sites was adopted into law. It reads:

The Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall phase out the leases of camping sites at shore parks which the State Park and Forest Commission determined were, in 1970 season, leased for more than three weeks in the aggregate to the same family by reducing their numbers equally each year, for the next five years.

The State has interpreted this law to read that the maximum stay for any family in all shoreline parks is 21 days per calendar year and intends to begin enforcing this law effective the 2012 camping season.

This law has not been enforced in either park for decades and was all but forgotten until the summer of 2011, when it was resurrected to combat the situation where certain campers had found methods of manipulating the Reserve America reservation system to circumvent the length of stay rules and had extended their stays much longer than allowed by the State.

The 21 days in, 5 days out rule that was unofficially adopted by the State has been followed by the majority of the campers in both campgrounds. Campground staff requiring all campers to completely vacate their campsites at the end of each stay, coupled with diligence on the part of the Reserve America reservation system can eliminate the manipulation that has festered in each park.

PETITION:

We, the general public deserve and insist on the opportunity to camp in our CT shoreline campgrounds for more than 21 days per calendar year. We are not of the belief that the word aggregate in the Statute should be interpreted to mean for the calendar year, but instead to mean per stay. We, the undersigned are requesting that CTGS Chapter 447, Sec 23-16a be rescinded or revised to allow a minimum of 21 days in, 5 days out during camping season.