Lake Lucille plan launched

WASILLA -- Next spring, boaters and homeowners will find a new scene at Lake Lucille's only public boat launch -- a gate that is locked each night, a fence around the perimeter, an improved parking lot a block away and a fee box.

If everything goes according to plan, other changes will result -- no vehicles parked along the narrow street and no engines revving at midnight.

The Wasilla City Council Monday night unanimously approved Mayor Dianne Keller's $52,000 plan to improve, regulate and charge a parking/boat launch fee on a piece of city-owned property that in recent years has become a popular place for boaters to access Lake Lucille.

The approved plan includes limiting watercraft hours to 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily on both Wasilla Lake and Lake Lucille, banning on-street parking along East Susitna Avenue, the street leading to the city-owned launch, and installing a locking gate at the launch.

In addition, a fee box will be installed and people will be charged $10 to launch their boats and park their vehicles. Local businesses that use the launch more regularly to test run boats will be asked to pay an annual fee of $250.

Before the council voted, the mayor emphasized that the changes would be significant and not everyone would support it. She said people who haven't been

involved in the public process and aren't aware of the proposals might not be happy when they go to launch their boats and discover they can no longer

do it for free.

"If you approve this, you should expect people to be here in the spring, when the rubber meets the road, so to speak," Keller said.

But the council was committed to the plan despite this possible threat.

"I think the public has spoken time and time again," Councilman Rob Sande said. "We need enforcement. We need enforcement. We need enforcement."

The plan does not include any city staff posted at the launch -- the fee will be collected on the honor system and people will be asked to display a pay stub in their windshield similar to the ones used by Alaska State Parks.

However, Keller said that the ordinances such as the one restricting parking on the street will better enable the city to regulate use.

Compared to other recent meetings on the boat launch, there was relatively little public comment Monday night. The primary testimony came from local business owners who said they supported the city's plan, and would even consider making a donation to the city to help keep the launch open to the public. However, they said the mayor's proposed $500 annual fee for the launch was excessive. Several business owners suggested cutting it in half.

"We're in and out. We don't take much time … we're polite. We're using the lake for our businesses," said Steve Lovell of Valley Diesel and Marine.

The council agreed and unanimously approved reducing the rate to $250.

Much of the rest of the testimony, however, was in support of the overall plan.

"That boat launch actually creates a nuisance for my tenants," said Kim Robinson, who owns several rentals in the area. She commended the city for its efforts to get a better handle on the problem and said the fee would, in itself, reduce the number of people in the area.

At the same time, she said she recognizes the need for public boat launches.

"I wouldn't object to a small, community boat launch staying there," she said.

One neighbor wasn't satisfied, however, and said the best solution would be to permanently move the launch out of the residential neighborhood.

"I'll make a contribution, if you just move it," John Dewar said, referring to the offer of local businesses to donate money to keep the launch open. He pointed out that $52,000 in improvements and several ordinance changes would not be necessary if the launch were simply moved to nearby Mat-Su Borough property on Lake Lucille.

"Just move the launch," Dewar urged the council.

However, the mayor reminded the council that the lake access at the Mat-Su Borough park is considered a wetlands and bird nesting area and, therefore, a boat launch could not be installed there.