LAKE COUNTY — Following action last week by the Board of Supervisors, a county-wide mandatory water vessel inspection sticker program is set to begin April 8.
As part of the program, residents can utilize a no-cost inspection sticker program from April 8 through June 30. The stickers will be valid through December 31.
The program is meant to prevent the invasive quagga and zebra mussels from hitchhiking via watercraft from infected waters in Southern California. Eligibility for an inspection sticker will be determined through a call-in process, according to a Monday press release from the County Administrative Office.
As part of the call-in process, boat owners will be asked a few questions and then asked to complete, sign and return an affidavit agreeing to comply with a clean-vessel policy. Once the signed affidavit is received, an inspection sticker will be issued.
The county is working on getting the form available on the Web. Those are expected to be available on the county”s mussel Web site “on or around April 8,” Deputy Administrative Officer for Economic Development Debra Sommerfield said in an interview Monday.
Inspection stickers are required prior to launching any vessel in Lake County waterbodies and vessel owners can plan on purchasing them just prior to launching.
“Any resident whose boat is in storage and who does not plan to take the boat out for several weeks does not require a sticker now; the sticker only will be required prior to launching. Thus, those residents may consider waiting a week or two to get their stickers after the initial rush for stickers ? but before June 30 when the no-cost program ends,” the press release stated.
The cost after June 30 has not yet been established, Sommerfield said.
During an initial call, it may be determined that an inspection of a vessel is required in order for a sticker to be issued. In that case, residents will be told where to go for an inspection, which is free until June 30.
A measure passed by the Board of Supervisors last week calls for inspection sites at Clearlake Oaks Fire Station, Upper Lake fire Station and Konocti Vista Casino and Marina. Other locations around the county will be established later, Sommerfield said.
For registered vessels, stickers must be affixed on the port ? left ? side of the vessel, six inches in front of the registration number. For unregistered vessels such as kayaks and canoes, stickers must be affixed in a prominent location toward the front and preferable port side of the vessel. Owners of seaplanes will be instructed as to alternate display locations, the press release stated.
Proof of residency in the county and proof of registration when applicable in the county will be required for participation in the program. Any resident who takes a vessel out of the county must then have the vessel re-inspected upon its return.
The program is part of an urgency ordinance passed last week by the Board of Supervisors and applies to all motorized and non-motorized vessels including boats, kayaks, canoes and inflatable rafts among others.
The ordinance also bans the disposal of live bait and any liquid that contains or has contained live bait into Lake County”s waterbodies.
According to the press release, volunteers are critical to the program and will be needed in a variety of roles including telephone screeners, courtesy boat monitors and certified boat inspectors.
Area resort owners are being contacted by county officials and asked to become a courtesy boat monitor and/or certified inspector in order to provide inspection services to resort guests.
Those not complying with the sticker program could face fines ranging from $100 to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.
The sticker program is part of four motions the Board of Supervisor”s approved almost two weeks ago to prevent the spread of quagga mussels to the county. In addition, the board approved 13 total local action items and eight state actions to address the quagga threat. Money to pay for quagga prevention comes from about $500,000 the county earned in the sale of Cove Resort.
Contact Elizabeth Wilson at ewilson@record-bee.com.
