Wading the waters of Horseshoe Lake has proved trying for the Woodland City Council.
The council has spent the summer discussing regulations for the 85-acre lake.
Residents have pleaded with the council to restrict the use of motorboats. Community members have begged the council not to prohibit waterskiing and wake-boarding. Discussions among council members have gotten heated. An ordinance has been proposed and amended and amended again. And a meeting was abruptly adjourned after disagreements.
“It’s a highly contentious issue,” said Steven Branz, Woodland public works director.
Adding to the furor, Mayor Chuck Blum vetoed the ordinance the council passed 5-1 on Aug. 16. The vetoed ordinance will be back before the council at its 7 p.m. meeting Tuesday, when the council can either overrule the mayor or reconsider the ordinance.
This summer, Clark and Cowlitz county commissioners adopted the city of Woodland’s boating and usage regulations on Horseshoe Lake. The decision gave Woodland jurisdiction over the lake, which had been governed by all three entities.
City code restricted boats from going more than 50 mph on the lake and prohibited motorboats with engines greater than 10 horsepower during certain times of the year. The code also designated the north end of the horseshoe-shaped lake as a no-wake zone.
When the counties handed over jurisdiction, the council decided to take another look at the rules.
The city’s Horseshoe Lake Management Committee and Parks Board recommended the city make all of Horseshoe Lake a no-wake lake and restrict motorboat speed to 5 mph. An ordinance was drafted following those recommendations.
Speed limit lifted
When the ordinance came before the council for its first reading on Aug. 2, though, several council members disagreed with the recommendations. The ordinance was amended to remove the speed limit and no-wake restrictions. Instead, the council banned wake boats and wake-boarders, but allowed waterskiing and ski boats.
On the first reading, the ordinance passed 5-2. Councilmen Benjamin Fredricks and Tom Mattison opposed.
At the council’s next meeting on Aug. 16, the ordinance was amended again. Realizing it would be difficult to distinguish between ski and wake boats, the council removed the ban and instead limited the speed of all motorboats to 35 mph. Numerous other amendments were proposed and failed.
On the final reading, the ordinance passed 5-1. Fredricks opposed the ordinance; Councilwoman Susan Humbyrd was absent.
On Aug. 26, Blum submitted a letter to the city declaring he had vetoed the ordinance. Blum argued the city had four objectives in changing the rules on Horseshoe Lake: make rules enforceable by police; address water quality issues of the lake; allow for maximum usage of the lake; and provide for maximum safety.
“Just simply put, (the ordinance) didn’t meet the requirements,” Blum said Friday.
Blum argues a 35mph speed limit will not curb the erosion of the shoreline and doesn’t address any of the other objectives. To reduce the erosion, the city needs to eliminate motorboat-created wakes, he said.
Therefore, Blum said he had no choice but to veto the ordinance, in the best interests of the citizens.
Councilman J.J. Burke, who has been an adamant supporter of the ordinance, said he also has the best interests of the citizens in mind.
“I believe the people pay their taxes for parks and recreation, and now we close the lake to some of these people who want to use the lake for skiing,” Burke said Friday.
“I’m not here to work for a couple of people,” he added, referring to residents along the lake. “I’m here to represent the 5,000 people who live in the city.”
Burke also questions whether the use of motorboats is actually causing most of the erosion of the shoreline. He blames heavy rainfall and said residents have built retaining walls to protect the shoreline.
Burke said he will stand by his earlier vote and not support an ordinance reducing the lake speed limit or instituting a no-wake lake.
If all seven council members are in attendance Tuesday, it will take the vote of five council members to override the mayor’s veto. The ordinance would then remain in place. The council may also vote to reconsider and amend the ordinance.
Marissa Harshman: 360-735-4546 or marissa.harshman@columbian.com.
