VAN BUREN TWP. — Visitors to Brown County seeking an escape to rejuvenate and find balance in their lives can now make reservations to do so on a 250-acre property in the southern part of the county.

The newly established campgrounds, called Getaway Brown County, feature 45 tiny-house-like cabins.

At the campsites, guests are encouraged to disconnect from work, Wi-Fi, cell phones and routines and “reconnect to themselves and their loved ones,” according to a press release from Getaway House Inc.

Getaway House Inc. operates 15 “mobile micro-cabin RV campgrounds,” which they call “outposts,” across the country, many of them along the East Coast.

The company is an outdoor hospitality company, aiming to attract people from all over the Midwest to come to Brown County to enjoy the serene landscape.

The cabins offer any amenities potential renters would want or need for a comfortable stay, including air conditioning, heat, beds of different sizes, a large picture window, a toilet and shower, a kitchenette with a two-burner stovetop and mini fridge, an outdoor fire pit with chairs (firewood provided) and a picnic table.

There is also an onsite trail for a short hike, and a series of small bluffs that “look out onto a serene forest full of mature trees,” the press release states.

No tents or guest RVs will be allowed at the campground; the only lodging will be these units.

Bookings will have to be done in advance through the website with no walk-ins allowed, the company-provided paperwork says.

When the property was brought forward to the Brown County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) in June of 2021, Getaway House Inc. was seeking a special exception for a campground.

The BZA voted 5-0 in favor of granting the request, which was met with some resistance by neighbors on Poplar Grove and Green Acres roads.

At the 2021 BZA meeting, eight neighbors spoke against the company’s plan. They waited for two hours to discuss it, as it was the last item on the agenda of a meeting that lasted four hours, according to past Democrat reporting.

One other couple sent in a letter of opposition.

No audience members spoke in favor of the proposed zoning exception or business.

Concerns included potential noise, increased wildfire risk, contamination concerns from septic drainage and trash, trespassers, changes in property value, increased traffic, and extra pressure on the all-volunteer fire department that serves the area.

Board members saw the proposed use of the land as a positive opportunity for growth for the county.

BZA President John Dillberger said he could not imagine a way to bring people into Brown County to experience it for a day or a week in a way that would have less impact, and that the sort of people the company intends to attract are the kind of people he would love to come and experience it.

With any luck, Dillberger said last year, guests may decide they might want to live in Brown County as a result of their visit, potentially adding enrollment of students in Brown County Schools or open potential businesses.

The pricing for a reservation starts at $99 a night, with several options to customize a stay. For more information about Getaway Brown County visit getaway.house.com.