LAKE COUNTY ? The possibility of establishing an after-dark speed limit on Clear Lake will be discussed Tuesday during a Lake County Board of Supervisors meeting.
District 4 Supervisor Anthony Farrington put the discussion on the agenda at the request of Kelseyville resident Phil Murphy, whose concerns he said were only the most recent to be expressed.
Murphy said he”s suggesting a 15-mph speed limit after dark.
“I think it”s highly probable that if we don”t have a speed limit out there, there is going to be another nighttime boating fatality here at some point in time. I think it”s a given,” Murphy said. Murphy cited two recent boating accidents involving speed after dark on Clear Lake that resulted in death, one more than six years ago.
The most recent was the April 29, 2006 death of Willows resident Lynn Thornton, who was a passenger on a sailboat that was struck by a powerboat at night.
Farrington said he remembered two more fatalities on the lake involving friends of his that resulted from speed after dark in the ”80s and ”90s.
He said the time for the discussion is ripe, but there are a number of issues to consider.
“We”re going to have to talk about any concerns the Sheriff”s department may have. We will have to talk about how the Sheriff”s department would enforce a speed limit on such a big lake and if there would be any cost for such enforcement,” Farrington said.
State law says boaters are limited to traveling up to 5 mph within 100 feet of docks and bathers, according to Gloria Sandoval, spokesperson for the state Department of Boating and Waterways. Water skiers are not considered bathers, she said, and water skiing is prohibited between sunset and sunrise.
The only speed limit on most of Clear Lake is the state law that says boaters should travel at speeds that are reasonable for the conditions, according to Capt. Jim Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff”s Department.
“Generally there is no speed limit on the main body of Clear Lake. Speed limits are imposed on certain waterways on Clear Lake and its tributaries, as well as other waterways in Lake County, pursuant to state law and county ordinance,” Bauman said.
Sandoval said the board of supervisors can establish a speed limit as long as the body notifies the state Department of Boating and Waterways 30 days prior to implementation.
Murphy said other issues he plans to raise Tuesday will include the noise caused by night boating for residential areas surrounding the lake and signage.
“The only argument I”ve heard against it is from people who are concerned about how long it would take to get from A to B at night. It”s a balancing act and we have to consider all sides,” Farrington said.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
