City seeks middle ground

EOWYN LeMAY IVEY-Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA -- In an attempt to keep both neighbors and boaters happy, the city of Wasilla is proposing to keep a Lake Lucille public access open but more closely regulate its use.

Wasilla Mayor Dianne Keller last week presented a plan that includes installing a locked gate, fencing and signs at the public access as well as developing a nearby city-owned lot into a parking area.

More than 30 people attended Thursday's special meeting, many of them lakeside residents who say the make-shift, free launch on city property off Susitna Avenue has become a public nuisance. During the past year-and-a-half, they have come to the city council to complain about the noise, traffic, garbage and parking problems caused by the dozens of boaters who use the access each day.

"Last weekend there were 72 vehicles parked on that street from one end to the other," said Bruce Nicholson, who lives near the launch.

Residents described mayhem in their neighborhood -- dogs roaming loose, children nearly being run over in the street, people going to the bathroom and littering along the shore and boaters washing their boats in the lake and parking their vehicles and trailers on people's lawns.

"I've come home and found motor homes in my yard," said Marilyn McGuire, who also lives near the launch.

Earlier this summer, some residents and city council members were calling for a complete closure of the access, the only public launch on the lake. Several people who testified or sent written comments to the council, however, said they want it to stay open.

"Closing it will not solve their problem since that would in essence make it a private lake," Thomas Ramaley wrote to the council. He said he would rather see the existing launch improved so it does not cause as many problems for the lake or the people who live along its shores.

And during last week's meeting, most people seemed more interested in a compromise in which boaters could still use the access but with more restrictions.

"I think by educating the public and lake residents and encouraging safe boating habits, Lake Lucille can continue to be a source of enjoyment for residents of the lake, the city and the borough," Keller said in her presentation.

Overall the mayor's proposals seemed to be well received. Many in the audience were nodding their heads in agreement as she presented her plan. Some, however, were not satisfied.

"I'm real frustrated by this meeting tonight," said Colleen Cottle, a lake resident and former councilwoman. "I don't think education is going to work … it's not the people in this room tonight that are the problem."

She placed the burden on the shoulders of the city's public works department.

"I feel the city needs to step up to the plate and try to be a better lake manager," she said.

Some at the meeting said they were interested in developing a management plan for Lake Lucille, similar to those the borough has implemented on other local lakes that limits hours, boat motor size and other aspects of lake use. City staff, however, said current ordinances already address many of the problems and additional ordinances could be added.

And many of the speakers agreed with Keller that current laws should be enforced before more are added.

"We don't need more regulations," resident James Fleming said. "We need to take care of the regulations we've got."

In the end, the council seemed to feel there were still issues to resolve for Lake Lucille. While they said they supported many of the mayor's ideas, they wanted to further discuss the problem and possible solutions.

"I think we've got a serious conflict here," Councilman Ron Cox said. "Signs will help, but I've noticed most signs in places like this are just targets for rifles and guns."

He said he also didn't think more laws would fix anything, but that instead existing ordinances should be given more teeth.

"I mean some sharp teeth," he said. "They've got to bite."

The council was expected to schedule a joint Lake Lucille work session with the city's planning commission sometime in the near future. The date and time of the meeting will be posted.

The mayor's plan

The city of Wasilla has a roughly $26,000 plan designed to make life easier for neighbors of a popular public access on Lake Lucille.

Wasilla Mayor Dianne Keller's proposal for the makeshift boat launch includes fencing in the city property, putting up signs that list pertinent ordinances and safe boating habits, installing a locking gate and improving another, nearby city lot for parking.

Keller said if the city council gives her the go-ahead, her plan could be implemented this summer.

A tall, wooden fence would give nearby residents some privacy and more clearly define the public access, the mayor said. No parking signs would be put up around the neighborhood, and Wasilla police would patrol the area, writing tickets and having vehicles towed when appropriate.

Signs would also be posted at the access, describing the ordinances and related fines regarding lake use. Contact information for agencies that have various jurisdictions at the lake, such as Fish and Wildlife Protection and the Department of Environmental Conservation, would also be displayed.

Also according to the mayor's proposal, a gate would be installed at the access and locked at 11 p.m. nightly and unlocked at 8 a.m., following current ordinances that set the hours of when motorized vehicles can be used on the lake. The city's security service would add the access to its patrol route.

"This should help to reduce excessive noise after hours of operation," the mayor said in her presentation.

Finally, a city-owned lot about a block away from the access would be developed for parking. The one-acre lot would accommodate between 10 and 20 vehicles with trailers, according to the city.

It would come at a cost, however. The mayor emphasized that the estimates were rough but said the fence would probably cost around $6,000, the metal locking gate around $10,000 and parking lot improvements another $10,000.

Several people who testified at Thursday's meeting suggested the city charge a launch fee to help cover these costs.