New village law will allow local police to enforce watershed rules
LAKE PLACID — The Village Board of Trustees voted Monday, July 12 to pass a local law that will increase regulation of the village boat launch and surrounding watersheds to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species.
After a brief public hearing, village officials voted unanimously to adopt the “Village of Lake Placid Aquatic Invasive Species Law,” which will allow local law enforcement to issue fines — no less than $50 and no more than $250 — to those in violation of a series of regulations regarding the use of the Village owned boat launch site on Victor Herbert Road. No public comments were made.
According to Mayor Craig Randall, the law will become effective upon written notice of filing with the New York Department of State.
“I began looking around New York state in the winter to look at other laws, and it became apparent to us that we needed to take additional steps,” Randall said. “We’ve recognized that the issues of invasive are going to continue.”
The new law states that no water-craft carrying aquatic plants or animals shall enter or exit any body of water within the limits of the village. It also puts restrictions on cleaning boats with chemicals or detergents where runoff into water bodies may occur, and states that no person can use the Village owned launch site on Victor Herbert Drive for commercial use.
Village attorney Janet Bliss said she worked with local watershed groups — including the Lake Placid Shore Owners Association, the Mirror Lake Watershed Association and the AuSable River Watershed Association — to make the law as clear as possible.
“We’ve gotten some good advice and direction,” Bliss said. “I’ve tried to make this law as simple and easy to enforce as possible.”
Bliss also said that the law is written to cover other watersheds, not just Lake Placid and Mirror Lake.
Mark Wilson, president of the Lake Placid Shore Owners Association, said he was in support of the new law.
“I approve wholeheartedly,” he said. “It seems like a sound way to preserve the lake and surrounding watersheds.”
According to Randall, there will not be a full-time lake steward at the Victor Herbert launch site to inspect boats and warn boaters about the threat of invasive species, but the village does plan on installing a motion sensor camera to help gather data at the village boat launch.
“We’re looking to determine what else we can do from the information the cameras will provide,” Randall said. “It will give the board a better sense of who’s using the launch site and what time of the day.”
According to Randall, issues of boater awareness involving the introduction of invasive species to local watersheds have only been suggestions until the introduction of the local law.
“This just reinforces the suggestions we’ve been making,” Randall said. “Our watersheds in Lake Placid provide a wonderful resource to our visitors and residence as well.... This (law) may be one more piece in a model of what a community can do to prevent invasives. This is a process and it will continue to evolve.”
Contact Eric Voorhis at
523-4401 or
evoorhis@lakeplacid
news.com
You must first login before you can comment.
