There are a lot of people not too happy with things in the Wapiti Valley, Commissioner Scott Steward said at the Feb. 4 comission meeting.

But some of those opposed to new developments, from the cell tower to a yoga facility and new campground, have gone too far, commissioners agreed.

Before a vote to allow a developer of a controversial new campground to do limited construction during the winter months, which had not been allowed in the original site plan, Chair Dossie Overfield chastised people she said she presumed were Wapiti residents who had thrown eggs at the buildings and trucks on the Old Faifthful RV Park property and yelled at workers. 

“That’s not how we want to treat people in Wyoming,” she said. “And that’s not acceptable.”

The Old Faithful RV Park drew opposition when it was first proposed in 2023, and as one of its conditions of approval, commissioners required the developer to avoid construction between Nov. 30 and April 30. The pause in construction was meant to ensure limited impact to both wintering big game and neighbors along the North Fork Highway. 

However, property owner Spencer McBurney and attorney Marc Thompson reappeared before commissioners on Feb. 4 to ask for permission to do some interior construction work. They said the amendment was needed to ensure the 10 cabins are ready for summer campers.

The proposed change drew a handful of opponents, some of whom had objected to the campground in the first place. One neighbor, Kim Burgen, said she didn’t trust the developer to abide by conditions, contending they may have been violated beforehand. 

As for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, it suggested that the county limit vehicles on the property until April 30. But the commissioners unanimously voted to amend the agreement and allow interior construction.

Steward said it wasn’t fair to restrict how many vehicles could be on site during the winter, as the county wouldn’t put that restriction on a property owner building a private house in the area. 

Once outdoor construction resumes in the spring, crew will construct the main building for the park and replace a fence that Thompson said was accidentally built not in compliance with the agreement, which specified the fence had to be wooden.