Lazaro Aleman
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Commissioners recently spent more than an hour talking about the problems at the Wacissa River, a situation that at times appear insoluble, especially after more than two years of the officials grabbling with it.
The problems include large gatherings at the popular recreational spot, not a few people’s disregard of the rules, parking abuses and vendors allegedly conducting business at the site in the form of canoe rentals. The latter problem is made especially acute by what officials describe as a turf war among the competitors.
On Thursday, June 16, the discussion largely focused on the canoe vendors’ use of the premises to conduct business and how possibly to curtail the practice. Much of the discussion, in fact, centered on one vendor’s complaints against another’s use of the right-of-way to conduct business.
This is not to say that progress hasn’t been made on the overall situation. Case in point, the parking spaces for boat trailers have now been clearly designated and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) is largely enforcing the rule, as it is the ones prohibiting loose dogs on the beach and rowdy behavior.
Others of the rules, however, are harder to enforce. One example is keeping vendors from doing business in the park. Sheriff Mac McNeill points out that deputies may suspect that a person is renting canoes on the property, but unless officers actually witness the transfer of money, they are prevented from acting. He is also concern that his deputies don’t up being park rangers.
Acting Coordinator Shannon Metty told the commission that plans were in the work to complete a set of rules, post these onsite and have county personnel present to enforce them, the lack of overall enforcement currently being the biggest problem.
The commissioners, in fact, had before them on Thursday evening a draft ordinance that has undergone numerous iterations as parts have been added or deleted as a result of the various discussions of the issue. The ordinance, however, as yet to be finalized and formally adopted, though aspects of it are already in place.
Some of the suggestions for correcting the problems, several of which have been repeatedly discussed, ranged from outright banning vendors from the park, allowing only a select few local vendors to operate there, and charging a fee for nonresidents to enter.
In the end, the board agreed to post county staff at the site on weekends to educate the public on the rules and ensure a modicum of enforcement. They also agreed that a violator’s second offense would lead to the issuance of a no trespassing warning and one-year expulsion from the park, which new rule will be added to the work-in-progress ordinance.
The aim of this ordinance, has it states in the section that contains the boilerplate whereases and definitions, is to establish rules and regulations for all the county’s parks and recreation facilities.
Specific to the Wacissa River, the ordinance aims to spell out the dos and don’ts for the most problematic areas, starting with the boat ramp and the swimming area.
Boat launches after dark are permitted, but not loitering at the head of the river.
Vehicle parking is restricted to the designated parking spaces. Vehicles may not park in unauthorized areas or obstruct traffic. Nor can vehicles exceed 5 mph in the parking area, unless otherwise posted.
The ordinance forbids blocking access to the boat ramp with vehicles or trailers, or leaving canoes and kayaks unattended. These two rules aim to cure practices that have generated scores of complaints in the recent past.
The ordinance makes renters of canoes and kayaks responsible for the vessels’ removal from the water and their return to the rental shop. It authorizes county staff to remove and disposed of any vessel that is left unattended for more than 10 minutes.
Swimming, sunbathing and congregating are only allowed within the designated beach area. No swimming or bathing may occur in the boat launch areas.
Animals, other than verified service dogs, are prohibited from approaching nearer than 125 feet of the public swimming area, and even verified service animals cannot enter the water. Dogs, moreover, when allowed, must be kept on a leash at all times, and are never allowed on the beach area.
Per the ordinance, all commercial activity is prohibited at the park, including kayak canoe rentals and food/drinks sales. Notwithstanding this prohibition, vendors may launch and retrieve their customers’ vessels from the park facilities, provided that rental transactions occur offsite and no other park rules are violated.
Specifically prohibited, per the ordinance, is a list of activities that are generally considered unlawful or inappropriate, including consuming alcoholic beverages or illicit drugs on the premises; engaging in loud, boisterous, threatening, insulting or indecent language; operating an audio device that can be heard at a distance of 100 feet from the source; defacing public property; discharging firearms; and loitering, among others.
Violations of the rules can result in ejection from the park and seizure of property, with offenses punishable by a fine of up to a $500 or imprisonment not to exceed 60 days or both.
Additionally, violation can result in the issuance of a civil citation requiring an appearance in court, with final determination by a judge.