4. Staff Report-Watercraft Regulations During High Water � �
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SCANDIA
Staff Reaort
Date of Meeting: July 2, 2014
To: City Council
From: Kristina Handt, Administrator
Re: Watercraft Regulations During High Water
Background:
MN Administrative Rule 6110.3700 allows counties, cities, and towns to implement a no wake rule
on lakes under certain circumstances. A copy of the Rule is included in your packet as well as a
recent letter from the DNR providing more details.
Staffbegan looking into this issue following a request from a resident on Bone Lake last month to
post a no wake sign.
Issue:
Should the City take steps to institute a slow speed, no wake zone when water levels exceed the
Ordinary High Water Level (OHWL) on City lakes?
Proposal Details:
A draft ordinance is provided in your packet modeled after language in the Chisago County
ordinance (copy also in your packet). As another example the City of Lake Elmo's ordinance is
included as well.
The ordinance would allow the City to implement a no wake zone within 300 feet of the
shoreline of Bone or Goose lakes if the water level exceeded the OHWL. As stated in the letter
from the DNR,the goal should be to apply the minimum restrictions on watercraft use to protect
property and the natural resources. Staff modeled the 300 feet off of the Chisago County
ordinance but the Council should discuss if this should be increased or decreased.
Staff chose to include Bone and Goose lakes because they are the only two lakes with a public
access and fall entirely within the city limits. The Council should discuss if they want to include
other lakes in the ordinance. For example, we have received questions from folks about Big
Marine Lake. However, since it doesn't fall entirely in the City limits Scandia would have to
pass identical restrictions as May Township. May Township has not enacted any restrictions at
the time of this writing. The other option is to leave it up to Washington County to enact
restrictions on lakes that cover multiple local jurisdictions. On June 24`"the water level on Big
Marine was nearly a foot below the OHWL so the need for restrictions may just be a perception
of some property owners.
Fiscal Impact:
Direct costs to the City would be the cost of posting the signs.
Costs to landowners could be property damages from high water levels.
Other indirect costs include tourism and recreation related business may experience a loss in
revenue if boating is restricted.
Options:
1) Direct staff to place the ordinance as drafted on the next Council agenda
2) Amend the ordinance (add other lakes, change the distance from shore that is restricted,
other changes, etc) and then direct staff to place on the next Council agenda
3) Do not adopt ordinance to restrict watercraft during times of high water levels