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MEMORANDUM
TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Philip Moy, Water Resources Director
DATE: February 7, 2017
SUBJECT: Consideration of Modification of the Boat Speed Urgency Ordinance
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The recently enacted Urgency Ordinance restricting lake-wide boat speed on Clear Lake during high water conditions may have unforeseen adverse economic consequences in terms of cancelled fishing tournaments and guided fishing trips due to persistent high lake level conditions. Modification of the urgency ordinance may be prudent to better accommodate economically important fishing tournaments and other boating events while still protecting shoreline properties and habitat. The proposed modification will protect these sensitive shoreline areas from adverse effects of boating activity while allowing time-efficient passage in open lake areas.
The modified language essentially expands the standard near shore no wake zone from 500 feet to 2500 feet from shore and allows “responsible operation” beyond that point. This distance will allow significant decay of wake height and energy before the wave impacts the shoreline.
FISCAL IMPACT: _X_ None __Budgeted __Non-Budgeted
Estimated Cost:
Amount Budgeted:
Additional Requested:
Annual Cost (if planned for future years):
FISCAL IMPACT (Narrative): None
STAFFING IMPACT (if applicable): None
Recommended Action
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff recommends that the Board of Supervisors approve a modification of the recently-passed urgency ordinance restricting boat speed under high lake level conditions and authorize the Chair to sign the attached amended ordinance.
Attachments:
Subject background
Modified urgency ordinance