Mooring restrictions lightened

Mooring restrictions lightened
By BRIAN DiTULLIO
Tuesday, May 24, 2005 11:15 PM MDT
Half of the moorings restricted last week will be open for boaters this holiday weekend.
In a sometimes-raucous debate that lasted well over two hours, Lake Havasu City Council responded to business owners along the Bridgewater Channel upset that 110 moorings were closed late last week.
City Council, per Councilman Don Clark's suggestion, decided unanimously to reopen a 232-foot section on the east bank near the English Village and 217-foot section on the west bank south of the London Bridge.
Council also requested the signs put up be changed to reflect the restrictions only would be in effect on Saturdays and Sundays.
According to the proposal from the Lake Havasu City Police Department, 27 percent of the available moorings, approximately 200 spots, in the channel were supposed to be closed last week per direction of City Council at their May 3 work session.
However, the department only ended up restricting 110 spots. The sign put up also say there is no mooring any time, which upset several of the business owners along the Channel. They claimed the restrictions would cripple their businesses and chase tourists away.
The moorings were restricted as part of a two-phase plan recommended by the police department to better control an increase in outrageous behavior that has caused a rise in arrests, noise and carbon monoxide in the manmade waterway.
Council chambers were filled Tuesday night for the discussion and 20 people signed up to speak. Most agreed the restrictions placed were too heavy and demanded the removal of the signs. Mayor Bob Whelan was forced to gavel down the crowd and call for order several times during the police department's presentation.
The most hotly debated area was the 232-foot section near the English Village. Police say that is where most of the problems occur as foot traffic mingles with the boaters.
"We didn't do this arbitrarily," said Capt. Randy McCaleb. "That area was chosen for law enforcement reasons. That's where we get most of our fights."
Clark suggested keeping that area open and leaving another area on the east bank closed, saying this would accommodate the boaters and move the pedestrians down the beach and "give them somewhere to go."
Clark felt his plan would give more access to the area for both the boaters and the pedestrians. Pointing to the closures last week, Clark said, "We took too much of the beach too fast."
The public then began giving their input on the matter with many suggesting one-way traffic through the Bridgewater Channel was the way to go to curb some of the crowd problems and limit "The Show," the term given to the increase in outrageous behavior along the manmade waterway.
Most of the speakers recommended increasing the police presence in the channel and cautioned City Council not to chase off the tourists.
"Closing the mooring in the channel only moves the problem, it doesn't eliminate it," said Trent Harris.
"We have eight boating companies in this town," said John Hughes. "We don't want to see business turned away."
"We can't do anything to endanger the summer visitors," said Marty Bene.
Ed Jacobs, President of the Lake Havasu City Realtors Association, also spoke. He said he spoke not in his official capacity, but as a concerned citizen.
"You're taking tax dollars for shoreline acquisition," said Jacobs. "What message are you going to give the public when you restrict access to the shore?"
Whelan stressed the actions were under evaluation and that "nothing is set in stone." Whelan indicated everything recommended by City Council would be up for review and would be tweaked as deemed necessary.
In a related issue, Sgt. Mike Fassari of the San Bernadino County Sheriff's Department also spoke. He said he wanted to correct a misconception about the mooring area known as Copper Canyon.
"Copper Canyon is open," said Fassari. "It's not closed. I just wanted to come here and clear that up."
Clark also suggested City Council revive the Shoreline Task Force to increase the public input into shoreline activities and law enforcement.
Mayor Bob Whelan directed staff to bring that back to City Council as an agenda item at the next meeting.
City Council also was supposed to have a public hearing and a vote on whether or not to raise sewer bill rates for the next three years by an average of 28 percent, but that item of the meeting agenda was not reached in time for the Today's News-Herald deadline Tuesday.
The issue will be covered in Thursday's edition.
You may contact the reporter at ditullio@havasunews.com