Boating Ordinance Ad Hoc Committee — Minutes

Town of Spider Lake Boating Ordinance Ad Hoc Committee (BOAHC) Minutes Town Hall, 10896W Town Hall Road & via ZOOM February 11, 2025 20250211-BOAHC_Minutes 4-Mar-25 Page 1 of 2 MINUTES 1. Chair Berkopec called the meeting to order at 5:01 pm PRESENT: Bob Berkopec (Chair), Michelle Keil (Clerk) Members: Ray Langer, Dave Mickelson, Tony Mornar, Tom Oatman, Craig Pagenkopf, Dave Thearin and John Trombello • Chair Berkopec reiterated the committee’s focus on compiling a solid, fact-and-data-based foundation upon which to build the committee’s recommendations to the Town Board. He recommended that the committee – as part of its work - recommend to the Town Board that they retain legal counsel that has expertise and experience specifically relevant to municipal boating ordinances to provide input and review of existing ordinances, any ordinance modifications, and any resulting litigation. The committee unanimously agreed to this recommendation. 2. Clerk Keil reported that she will have draft minutes from both the February 6th and February 11th meeting to review at the February 20th meeting. 3. Committee sub-team reports: • Water Sports Hours – Tony led discussion on several aspects pertaining to water sports hours on various lakes within the TOSL. Many aspects were discussed, including safety (including available data, or lack thereof), boat traffic congestion, recreational access, growth of both motorized and non-motorized recreation, the WDNR ordinance response letter, environmental resource limitations and impacts, TOSL survey results, and lake association meeting outcomes. The following proposed recommendations were considered and voted on by the committee. o Proposed recommendations 1-3: (1) To keep Lost Land Lake and Teal Lake designated as “Quiet Lakes”, meaning no water sports hours on these lakes. (2) To also designate Ghost Lake officially as a Quiet Lake, meaning to eliminate the “water sports hours” of 11-3 on Ghost Lake. (3) To keep water sports hours the same on Lower Clam Lake as whatever hours are recommended for the Spider Lake chain. The committee voted unanimously in favor of proposed recommendations 1-3, with the caveat that property owners on Ghost Lake should be queried to verify they are in favor of inclusion as a Quiet Lake. o Proposed recommendations 4-6: (4) Expand water activity hours to 11AM-5PM on Spider Lake chain. (5) Recommend a new specific boat survey and allow the aforementioned expansion of hours on Spider Lake for summer of 2025. (6) Separate the Quiet Lakes from the Spider Lake chain. Conduct another survey on the Spider Chain to collect information on (e.g.) the number and variety of boats, motor size, frequency of each boat’s use, thoughts on speed limits, enforcement, etc. The committee voted 8-1 against proposed recommendations 4-6. Town of Spider Lake Boating Ordinance Ad Hoc Committee (BOAHC) Minutes Town Hall, 10896W Town Hall Road & via ZOOM February 11, 2025 20250211-BOAHC_Minutes 4-Mar-25 Page 2 of 2 • Enforcement – Craig led discussion on proposed recommendations for the enforcement issue. The committee voted unanimously in favor of the proposed recommendation to place official Slow-No Wake buoys in key locations on Lost Land and Teal Lakes (including the Thoroughfare), working with the Town and the lake association to establish potential placement areas. The Town would have to apply to the WDNR for the permits. The committee was not in favor of placing additional buoys on the Spider Lake Chain. Significant discussion ensued regarding other enforcement aspects, including: actual cost estimates for enforcement and possible WDNR funding through their Intent To Patrol program, potential cost/duty-sharing options with other towns, the role of the Town in educating visitors about the ordinance (especially of visitors/renters), education and then enforcement as a phase-wise approach, etc. etc. The committee decided more work is needed to reformulate additional proposed recommendations to reflect the nature of the discussion. Michelle with follow up with Sarah Delaney (chair of the PRC) to determine the status of their efforts to create educational materials related to Town ordinances. 4. Chair Berkopec led a brief discussion regarding preparation for the 2/26/25 Readout to the Town Board. 5. Chair Berkopec adjourned the meeting at approximately 7:00 PM. Respectfully submitted, Michelle Keil, Clerk, BOAHC