2002-03-12 P& Z Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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[n the spring of 1999, [ w;u; canoeing ill.ound the island when r discovered a tloat just under the surface. I pulled it up and saw it appeared to be part of the slalom water-ski course from [998. I looked around and saw another, then another. That's when I stopped looking. I don't know how many more were there. Permits do not extend through the winter. All material must be removed from the lake. In August of 200 I, [ watched them take down their course in the main pmi of the lake in the evening. [n every c;u;e I observed, they only removed the top float. They left all the other apparatus in the water overnight (which is illegal without a permit, but perhaps they had a permit). They set their course up in the only place where [ have ever caught a walleye in the lake. With all kinds of lines, concrete blocks and who knows what down there, I wouldn't go fishing there. And even if they had a slalom water-ski course that sunk when not in use, there would be perhaps a 1,000 teet of hose, other lines and apparatus under water so you couldn't fish there. Estimated Slalom Water Ski Course Impacts On Peltier Lake Slalom-watof ski cOllfse ~ize to s~le I' "our" i I I ;51~'.~"~~'Ul1d. Sm:nJlast vl}(sion afofficia! slalom water ski ~Clurse about 2,300 .~ 400' North ~ WOO Feet ~ . ~ Q U . ~ ~ Q U There are altemati ves tor those who want a slalom water-ski course. Goose Lake, just south of White Bear Lake, has a permanent slalom water-ski course installation. Just across the road, on adjacent Centerville Lake, there is a water ski club that perfOlIDs at least weekly. They already regularly obtain a permit tor a water ski jump and perhaps this club is also interested in a slalom water-ski course in the same rough area. Centerville Lake is much bigger in its usable area. As boating pressures continue to in~'fease in the future it will be even more important to be careful that everyone ha~ equal access to lake resources. Not permitting slalom water-ski courses just ensures that everyone can fish, boat, and water ski with equal access to the Peltier Lake resource. It also helps ensure protection of the rookery. Oetails - BehaviOl' Observed It may also serve some perspective to describl:) some observed behavior ofthe two individuals involved. One family is apptu.ently quite insistent on their occupation of public waters. Perb.aps they heard about my concern for the rookery. On July 10, I w;u; visited by a husband and wite who rudely threatened me with a lawsuit saying r was somehow denying them the tight of their disabled child to ski the slalom course, or something like that. They said the ADA was going to get me. They said they were going to sue the Peltier Lake Association for nunlerous offences. I said I wanted everything in writing. I never got anything. An attorney told me this is not an ADA issue. Regarding thl:) oth<::r person, all the years lle had his current boat on Peltier Lal(e, lle apparently felt no need to license it. It wasn't until DNR and other vehicles started showing up that he finally got a license lor his boat in July. I have seen him drive his boat light next to fishermen when the whole lake was clear. I was fishing once myself when he drove by within 50 feet pulling a skier. He happened to come back near us and my daughter called out to him, "Can't you see we're fishing here'?" He said, "There aren't any tlsh there." I said, "No, not an}'lnore. " My opinion is that the behavior ofthes<:: two individuals should not be rewarded by reserving 2,300 teet of . Peltier Lake tor their ptivate LISe. Sttict enforcement of new clear regulations as described betore are required to protect the Heron rookery, the environment, and nonnal users of the lake.