Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> - <br /> Stephen L. Nelson <br /> . 3475 Siems Court <br /> Arden Hills, Minnesota 55112 <br /> October I, 1987 <br /> Mr. Nito Quitevis <br /> 450 Horseshoe Drive <br /> Shoreview, Minnesota 55126 <br /> Re: Village of Arden Hills Amendment to existing Ordinance placing <br /> 40 m.p.h. speed limit on Lake Johanna <br /> Dear Mr. Quitevis: <br /> As the informal leader of the movement to place a 40 m.p.h. speed <br /> limit on Lake Johanna, I received a copy of your letter dated <br /> September 18. 1987. It is obvious that you are frustrated with the <br /> overall ordinance that places a speed limit on Lake Johanna of 5 <br /> m.p.h. during various times of the day. You dwell quite heavily on <br /> the various provisions of the original ordinance which has been in <br /> existence since the early 1970's. The other provisions of the <br /> ordinance are not at issue. The only proposal currently before the <br /> Board of Boat and Water Safety Committee of the Department of <br /> . Natural Resources is the speed limit on the lake. <br /> Your letter does not address the issues of speed and safety on Lake <br /> Johanna. The proposed speed ordinance was for safety purposes and <br /> to permit all types of recreational use on the lake during those <br /> hours for which there is no current speed limit. No where did you <br /> address the issue of whether a boat travelling 45 to 90 m.p.h. is <br /> safe. What recreational uses are there when you exceed 40 m.p.h.? <br /> As a member of the American Water Ski Association, I am sure you are <br /> well aware of the fact that most tournament speeds are less than 35 <br /> m.p.h. Recreational water skiing very seldom, if ever, exceeds 40 <br /> m.p.h. It also seems strange to me that you would favor a 40 m.p.h. <br /> speed limit on Lake Owasso where you live and then object to a speed <br /> limit on a neighboring lake. Is there any reason why your lake <br /> needs a 40 m.p.h. speed limit and other lakes wouldn't? Obviously, <br /> you and your neighbors who reside on Lake Owasso had a reason for <br /> placing a speed limit on your lake. <br /> The only issue brought to the council was whether a boat travelling <br /> at 45 to 90 m.p.h. is safe for other users of the lake. A boat <br /> travelling at 45 mph travels 66 feet per second and a boat at 60 mph <br /> travels 88 feet per second and at 90 m.p.h. a boat travels 132 feet <br /> per second. At these speeds you have little time to react or slow a <br /> boat down. I'm still waiting for the person to tell me that speed <br /> doesn't kill someone eventually. If speed is not a safety problem, <br /> . why do we have speed limits on our public highways and on other <br /> lakes? <br /> ---.- <br />