LAKEPORT — The Lake County Invasive Species Council held a meeting on Friday to discuss and make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors (BOS) on the proposed county quagga mussel ordinance.
The meeting was open to the public and drew a standing-room-only crowd of concerned citizens.
The council discussed the ordinance, which the BOS will vote on Jan. 18.
The primary areas of discussion centered around the quagga mussel stickers that are required for all vessels that are launched in any waters in Lake County and possible penalties for those that are cited for launching a boat that hasn”t been either screened or inspected.
The proposed ordinance states that any person who violates the ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and will be fined no less than a $1,000 and could serve up to six months in the county jail.
The vessel is also subject to impoundment.
The ordinance also states that not only must the boats have a current sticker but the boat trailers as well.
A water vessel is defined as any trailered watercraft, jet ski or float plane capable of being launched into any water body within the county.
Vessels that are exempt are canoes, kayaks, car-top boats, float tubes, rafts, wind surfers/boards, boogey boards, non-motorized boats and non-motorized sailboats that are eight feet or less in length.
One subject that was brought before the council by several members of the public was what is considered a resident or non-resident boat.
A number of people have summer homes in the county and keep their boats in the county although it may be registered in another county.
The question was what constitutes a resident boat. Water Resources Director Scott De Leon said a resident boat must meet one of three conditions. (1) It must have a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) registration that identifies that the boat is physically located in Lake County. (2) The owner of the vessel can demonstrate that it is moored or stored at a commercial facility in the county. (3) Any other means deemed acceptable by the Director of Water Resources as to the proof of residency in Lake County providing the vessel is on the county”s tax assessor”s unsecured tax roll for boats.
All boats, both resident and non-resident boats will be screened before being issued a sticker. If the screener determines the boat is at risk of harboring a mussel, the boater will directed to an inspector who will thoroughly inspect the boat. The fee for screening and being issued a sticker will be $10.
If the boat requires an inspection the fee varies by the size of the boat. The fee for boats up to 12 feet in length will be $15, for greater than 12 feet but less than 18 feet? $25. Boats longer than 18 feet? $40. Any boat that has ballast tanks or bladders will be charged an additional $20. The fees don”t include the $10 for the sticker.
Resident boats will be required to get a new sticker annually while non-resident boats will require a monthly sticker.
According to council member Sarah Ryan, in 2010, there were 7,258 stickers given out. Of those 305 which should have undergone inspection because they came from infested waters however only two were actually inspected.
De Leon said that will change because the county is tightening up the inspection process. De Leon also said the county is getting back the decontamination station and the county will decontaminate any suspect boat free-of-charge. He also said the county will be installing large signs at all the public ramps that will state that any boater who launches a boat without a current sticker will face a fine of $1,000.
The new ordinance will become official 30 days after the final vote by the BOS.
