GODDARD, Kan. (KAKE) - Last Wednesday the Sedgwick County Board of Commissioners voted to change the time for how long campers can stay at Lake Afton park in Goddard.

With the new rules campers can only stay at the park 56 days a year and they must leave for five days after being there 14 consecutive days.

"We have 525,000 citizens in Sedgwick County and I want to make sure that we provide amenities for all of those folks. It is not designed to take care of one or two or five people," said Sedgwick County Commissioner David Dennis.

Right now if you go to Lake Afton there are several campers that have been there for years but soon, because of this change, they'll be gone. Some people who have been living there say they feel like the rug was pulled out from under them and now they have to find a new place to live.

"In the end, it's gonna crush a lot of people," said Gary Gurley who has been living at the park on and off for three years.

He says some of his neighbors have been living there for ten plus years. They've been paying their fees and keeping their spaces in good condition and he doesn't think this is fair.

"Everything ranging from helplessness, hopelessness, rage, anger, I mean what do we do about this," he said.

Commissioner Dennis said he brought this change up because he frequently gets phone calls about the park being in bad condition and he thinks it will help keep it clean.

"When people abandon their campsites this is the condition they leave it in and we have to clean that all up," he said as he showed KAKE News pictures of the park. 

He said there have been mattresses left outside, cars parked under the shelter, and more.

Dell Burgess is a former Lake Afton resident. He says he understands why the county is making this change explaining that he knows they just want to clean it up. However, he still feels bad for the people it's impacting.

"I think people are concerned about where they're gonna go," he said.

The new rule won't go into effect until June 21st.