Portage County inspects each licensed Campground and RV Park at least once per licensing period to ensure that the standards outlined in OAC are met. Some of the areas examined during these inspections include:
- Ensuring adequate spacing between campers and tents to prevent fire hazards and to allow room for access by emergency services.
- Making sure that trash is stored properly and is disposed of as needed to prevent harborage of pests.
- Preventing nuisance conditions on sites, such as areas of standing water that can provide breeding areas for mosquitoes.
- Ensuring proper disposal of sewage and a safe drinking water supply.
Campgrounds in Ohio are regulated under the authority of Chapter 3729 of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) and Chapter 3701-26 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC).
These rules were created to establish minimum standards, applicable throughout Ohio, for the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of these facilities in order to protect the public from injury, minimize the potential for disease transmission, and provide a safe and healthy recreational environment.
Campground Types:
1. Recreation Camp
2. Recreation Vehicle (RV) Park
3. Combined Park-Camp
4. Temporary Campground
A temporary campground by definition means any tract of land used for a period not to exceed a total of twenty-one days per calendar year for the purpose of parking five or more recreational vehicles, dependent recreational vehicles, or portable camping units, or any combination thereof, for one or more periods of time that do not exceed seven consecutive days or parts thereof.
