11-22-1999 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• • i rrv iMpjL meeting ^yj LAKE MINNETONKA CONSERVATION November 9, 1999 Cl »Y Ul- OHONO LMCD Board Big Island Task Force Members /] TO: FROM: Greg Nybeck, Executive Director SUBJECT: Update on Big Island On 10/28/99, Uie first meeting of the Big Island Task Force was held at 9;00 a.m. at the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Water Patrol office. Those in attendance, in addition to myself, included Orono Mayor Gabriel Jabbour, Spring Park Mayor Jerry Rockvam, Board members McMillan and Foster, MN DNR representative Kim Elverum, Orono Police Chief Gary Cheswick, and Lt. Ken Schilling from the Water Patrol. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss activities that took place on the north side of Big Island, Cruiser’s Cove, this past summer, and to discuss wliat could be implemented to better control these activities in the future. The majority of the discussion focused on two issues. First, there was discussion on whether there is a need to establish public safety lanes in this area of the lake. Second, there was discussion on whether there is a need to establish a lakewide rafting ordinance. In theory, a rafting ordinance would restrict the number of boats that could be tied together and would require a minimal distance between the cluster of boats rafted together. After signiflcai. jiscussion amongst Task Force members, there was consensus on these two issues that should be brought to the attention of the LMCD Board. This includes: • The Task Force recommends the LMCD Board should establish public safety lanes, in Cruiser’s Cove, for the 2000 boating season so the Water Patrol would have access to both the land on Big Island and to the water that is now sometimes completely congested with anchored and rafted boats. Further details of the exact layout, the type of buoys to be used, and the wording of such an ordinance still needs to be addressed. • There was substantial discussion by the Task Force regarding adopting a lakewide rafting ordinance that would limit the number of boats that could be tied together and would require groups of rafted boats to be a minimum distance apart so the Water Patrol could access all boats that are rafted. The Task Force thinks that such a lakewide ordinance might lend some protection to other parts of the lake from developing large rafts of boats that choose to leave Cniiser’s Cove. Tlic Task Force recommends, at this time, that such an ordinance does not need to be created for the 2000 boating season. This will allow for more careful research, study, and discussion as to the right number of boats to limit, the minimum distance required between groups of lufted boats, the impact on boaters, and the need for education and acceptance by die boaters of such an ordinance. Attached are letters from the Water Patrol and the MN DNR stating their positions on these issues.