Representatives of the Rock Lake Homeowners Association have long thought that only the use of electric boat motors on their body of water was an enforceable town law. The rule is even posted at the public boat launch on the lake.
But research by town administrator Patrick Casey found that the rule, though requested, was never actually put on the books. The finding was announced at Monday’s meeting of the town Lakes Committee, which is reviewing all regulations related to town lakes and rivers.
“I see no ordinance that mentions electric motors only on Rock Lake,” Casey said. There is an ordinance that sets a slow no wake speed at all times on the lake. That law was established in 1989.
Representatives at the meeting from the Rock Lake association said they wanted the town to enact the electric motor only rule.
I hope that Mr Casey keeps that lake as it has been I live by Rock Lake and one of the reason I moved their was because of that.Nice and queit I wish Mr Casey stop making all the changes to our town that don’t affect him. he don’t even live in Wi NOW HE HAS TO QUESTION WHAT HAS BEEN FOR LONG TIME He needs to go!!!!I with the people who don’t want the change to happen
The Area of Rock Lake is 43.71 Acres, Equipment Used, 400-foot Grids on Ice, the Volume is 903.55 Acre-feet, the Shoreline is 1.24 miles per the Wisconsin Conservation Department Lake Survey Map Dated: Feb. 1954 and Updated on Aug. 1967
WISCONSIN BOATING REGULATIONS. PUBL-LE-301 2006
There are Wisconsin lakes called “no wake lakes†and “no motor lakes.†Motorboats may not be operated at speeds greater than “slow-no-wake†on lakes of 50 acres or less having public access, except when such lakes serve as thoroughfares between 2 or more navigable lakes (see page 19 of the Boating Regs.). Slow-no-wake is that speed at which a boat moves as slowly as possible while still maintaining steerage control (page 5 of Boating Regs.).
CAUTION, local units of government may adopt further boating regulations for Wisconsin lakes in their jurisdictions, including the prohibition of motorboats. Local regulations are posted at a lake’s public access point. dnr.wi.gov/org/es/enforcement/docs/BoatingRegs.pdf
In case anyone wants to know the specific STATE LAW requirement that applies:
Wis. Stats. 30.635 Motorboat prohibition. On lakes 50 acres or less having public access, motorboats may not be operated in excess of slow-no-wake speed, except when such lakes serve as thoroughfares between 2 or more navigable lakes. The department by rule may modify or waive the requirements of this section as to particular lakes, if it finds that public safety is not impaired by such modification or waiver.
To view the Kenosha County Rock Lake Historical Map go to,
http://dnr.wi.gov/lakes/maps/DNR/0746000a.pdf
To use the interactive lake surface map viewer service of WDNR go to,
http://dnrmaps.wisconsin.gov/imf/imf.jsp?site=SurfaceWaterViewer
and not only has this electric motor only been noted on the signs at this lake, they have been followed. The issue had been brought up many years ago at a town board meetiing per the people in the audience, and Mr Casey was following up on my request to check to see if there was an ordinance and any other reference of years ago. The follow-thru to an ordinance status was apparently not handled.. The signs tho, clearly were placed and any reasonable person would have expected the town to follow thru and would not have felt the need to check and verify. However, that the residents did not is no longer an issue. The item has been added to the proposed lakes committee document for hearing and town board approval when the document is complete and then will be forwrded to DNR….and it will include the SNW and the electirc motors only. There were over 20 people at this lakes committee meeting. NO ONE uttered any concern about this stipulation being added. And clearly no only wanted GAS, even if it were to be in SNW.
Rock Lake is a nice lake for fishing the old fashioned way – rowing.
Our family has owned the property at 12028 255th Ave for close to fifty years never in that time has a motor boat been permitted on the lake. The pride of being an owner on the lake has always been the cleanlinest of the lake and this has kept property values high and it has always been known in the area as a good fishing and swimming lake.
This pride has always been enforced by the owners and the Rock Lake Highlands Assn. It is my hope that that this pride can be continued by enforcing the cleanlinest which has been the tradition at Rock Lake.