Crescent to form enhanced wake panel

The Crescent town board has decided to take up the issue of enhanced wakes and possibly create an ordinance to regulate them. No action was taken at the board’s Oct. 9 meeting, but a discussion regarding establishing an enhanced wake ad hoc committee was on the agenda.

No one was appointed to serve on what’s set to be a seven-member committee and, according to town clerk Tracy Hartman, there are more people interested in serving than there are open committee seats.

The issue of enhanced, hazardous or excessive wakes has been a popular topic in some Northwoods communities over the last few years. Newbold, Presque Isle, Boulder Junction and Manitowish Waters have all considered an ordinance, with some towns moving forward with regulations.

Like Manitowish Waters, Crescent is taking the approach of forming a committee to conduct research on the matter.

The goal would be for the committee to offer the town board a recommendation. 

The wake issue had been controversial among Presque Isle residents, whereas it wasn’t debated as much in Newbold. 

In a conversation with The Lakeland Times, town chairman Robb Jensen indicated there have been Crescent residents who’ve voiced support for enhanced wake regulations and others who’ve voiced opposition.

“So you’ve got research supporting both positions,” he said. “So what I think the board wanted to do prior to … passing an ordinance, is form a committee, and then get that committee to take a look at reviewing the literature on both those (positions).”

Jensen said the three lakes where enhanced wakes appear to be an issue are Lake Julia, Crescent Lake and Squash Lake. 

“And because Lake Julia is shared by the town of Pelican and the town of Crescent, and Squash is shared between Crescent and Woodboro, we’ve extended an invitation for each of the lake associations to nominate somebody to the committee and the town boards if they were interested,” he said. 

Jensen said he received interest from all three lake associations, as well as Pelican town chairman David Hollands. 

He stated that the Woodboro town board has discussed the matter, but “they’re not at the point where they wanted to say ‘We formally appoint somebody, just fill the group with whoever you want with the understanding that that person isn’t necessarily a spokesperson for the town of Woodboro.’”

Jensen indicated representatives from the lake associations and the town of Pelican will undoubtedly be on the committee. There were five people who showed interest in the other three seats, he said.

Jensen said he plans to contact those five people and ask them to provide information as to why they’re interested in being on the committee, as well as where they stand on the issue of enhanced wakes. 

“So you try to balance that committee so you get all perspectives on the committee,” he said.

With regard to a timeline of any potential enhanced wake ordinance, Jensen said he thinks there is more discussion to be had.

“I would think … the hope is that the committee can do its work and come up with some findings and recommendations before ice-out,” he said.

Jensen added he got the impression at the Oct. 9 meeting that some who “might want to have wake boats on the water” weren’t opposed to regulating enhanced wakes, “but in their mind it has to be reasonable.”

“And that’s when you get into this discussion of can you operate within 300 feet of the shoreline, 400 feet of the shoreline, 500 feet, and that’s what hopefully the committee can come up with,” he said. “And I don’t know if they’ll get a consensus on that, but let the committee take that issue up and say ‘OK, we’ve done all the research, here’s what we found out: It’ll be 300 feet, 400 feet, 500 feet,’ you know, what’s the research on how deep the lake should be to allow this (type of operation). So … they’re not opposed to regulations, but they want them … to be reasonable. And, of course, reasonable will be in the eye of the beholder.”

Jensen said he is hoping the board will be able to make the appointments at its next meeting in November.

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