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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, February 11, 2013 <br />7:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />  Page 3 of 24    <br />   <br /> <br />(5. BOW-FISHING REGULATIONS – GREG NYBECK, LAKE MINNETONKA <br />CONSERVATION DISTRICT (LMCD), Continued) <br /> <br />Nybeck stated the LMCD will periodically receive calls from the water patrol and others regarding bow <br />fishing and whether it is allowed on Lake Minnetonka. In an effort to streamline public communication <br />and provide documented guidance to both the water patrol and MN/DNR enforcement personnel, the <br />LMCD Board of Directors has been working to determine whether it is feasible to have a single bow <br />fishing ordinance which would result in consistent lake-wide regulations for Lake Minnetonka. <br /> <br />The LMCD is looking for the City Council’s ranking and input on the following three options: <br /> <br />1. Continue to operate as the LMCD currently does, which is per state law and local city ordinances. <br />If this is the option the LMCD were to proceed with, the following should be considered: <br /> <br />a. The public will be referred directly to the member cities to receive information on local <br /> firearms, weapons, and archery ordinances and whether a permit is required. <br /> <br />b. Should this option be chosen, the LMCD will be requesting each member city to forward the <br /> contact name or department at the city to whom public inquiries should be referred. <br /> <br />2. MN/DNR and Water Patrol enforcement personnel have indicated that it would be each City’s <br /> responsibility to enforce its own ordinances. <br /> <br />3. Prohibit bow-fishing entirely on Lake Minnetonka. <br /> <br />4. Consider an ordinance more restrictive than state law but less than a total prohibition. The <br />ordinance could perhaps prohibit nighttime bow-fishing. <br /> <br />Nybeck noted the City of Orono currently prohibits nighttime bow fishing. Nybeck displayed a picture of <br />a typical bow fishing boat. The LMCD has received a few complaints about bow fishing at night. <br /> <br />McDermott noted typically the bow is tethered to the boat and the line on the arrow is approximately 50 <br />feet in length. <br /> <br />McMillan asked whether they are able to catch more fish at night than during the day. <br /> <br />Nyberg stated the general feedback the LMCD has received to date is that the fishing is generally better at <br />night but that shortly after sunrise is also a good time. The LMCD has been dealing with this issue for <br />about 18 months and they would like to get some closure to it. The Orono Police Department has been <br />very helpful with providing information to various questions. <br /> <br />Nyberg indicated the LMCD will continue to update their website to include the names of the cities that <br />allow bow fishing and the name of a person at each city that they can contact for information. Nybeck <br />noted another problem that they have encountered is that the LMCD is not aware of what each city’s <br />jurisdictional lines are in the water. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Item #02 - CC Agenda - 02/25/2013 <br />Approval of Council Minutes 02/11/2013 <br />[Page 3 of 24]