Newbold board holds public hearing on new enhanced wake ordinance

The Newbold town board held a public hearing on April 6 regarding its draft enhanced wake ordinance for all town lakes under 1,500 acres and lakes “spanning town boundaries but with over 60 (percent) of their shoreline in Newbold.”

More specifically, the ordinance, if enacted, would prohibit the use of “ballast tanks, water sacks or fins” on boats and the operation of boats in an “artificially bow-high manner having the effect of increasing the boat’s wake.”

“In no event shall any of the following operations be deemed a violation of this Ordinance, provided such operations do not use or employ ballast tanks, water sacks, wake enhancing fins or other such devices: i) water skiing, ii) tubing, iii) wake boarding employing a tow rope; iv) brief transition operation to empty a boat of water, or v) brief transition operation of a boat accelerating into a planing condition,” the draft ordinance states.

Town chairman Dan Hess said roughly 100 people attended the hearing held in the town’s new community center. The session lasted about two hours.

Town clerk Kim Gauthier said 20 people spoke in favor and three people spoke in opposition to enacting an ordinance. Written comments submitted to the board were read at the hearing too, with 46 in favor and two in opposition. 

No action was taken at the hearing, but Hess indicated action could occur at the board’s meeting next month. 

“I thought the public hearing went really well,” he said. “And then the next step will be (to) put (the draft ordinance) on a town board agenda (on) May 9 for discussion and action.”

Trevor Greene may be reached via email at [email protected].