La Siesta Campgroundswas forced to shut down after an anonymous complaint was filed to the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality.
The campground has been open for six years in Arivaca and has been a source of tourism to the community.
"For the community it's all new tourist dollars. For example, we might charge $15.50 for tent camp space and then they go to town and spend money $40-$60 at the grocery store, the bar, gift shop so the town receives money," says owner, Oscar Steve Rendon.
Inspection reports provided by DEQ show, "The property was in use as a commercial campground. There was advertising on fences and many campsites were RV's and trailers were setup. This represents non-compliance with zoning requirements."
In return - DEQ sent a notice of "opportunity to correct" to the campgrounds within 30 days.
Rendon says, what the county wants is well above what they can afford. "There was no way we can come up with funds to do something that big so we had no option but to close."
According to Rendon, DEQ was asking to have Hardscrabble Rd. paved, an environmental study done, Landscaping and as irrigation system put in.
Rendon explains, the campground isn't an RV park but an opportunity for people to experience real country camping.
A go-fund-me page has been created to help keep it open, click here.
A meeting with the Pima County Supervisors is scheduled for Friday, May 25, 2018.
