Christmas Lake Assocation at it again

http://kstp.com/news/stories/S2645191.shtml?cat=1

Boat Inspection Refusal, Could Cost Big Bucks in West Metro City. It may soon cost boaters a hefty fine if they refuse an inspection on Christmas Lake. There are zebra mussels in Lake Minnetonka that haven’t yet been introduced in the waters of Christmas Lake.

On Monday the City of Shorewood could be the first city in Minnesota to adopt an ordinance that would make refusing an inspection a misdemeanor with a thousand dollar fine.

According to Brad Nielsen, Shorewood’s Planning Director, the ticket would come from either a licensed peace officer from the South Lake Police Department or from a DNR conservation officer. More than 100 homeowners living on Christmas Lake are shelling out a total of $38,000 to help staff a round-the-clock inspector at the boat launch “It’s a considerable expense that we’re willing to undertake just because it’s that important to us,” said Roger Norberg, a Christmas Lake homeowner.

wow, im all for protecting our waters but this is a lost cause lets spend money on learning how to get rid of them or control them because trying to prevent the spread is impossible just look at a boat and trailer there are so many places for these microscopic seeds and eggs to hide. stop spending resources on the prevention and start spending them on a way to get rid of them or control them. a duck or heron can spread them just as easy as a boat, we better start giving them fines as well for not shaking of when leaving one body of water heading for another………….. just my opinion on all this……….

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$38,000

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OK, What’s the rest of the story?

My gut tells me something smells fishy at Christmas Lake.

Hmmm land of at least 30 or more lakes, just let the wingnuts be.
If you got cormorants or geese or ducks those zebra guys will hitch hike in anyway.

Sounds fishy to me as well. I’m curious who they will blame when the invasives finally hit the lake? Wildfowl, anglers, recreational boaters, or the lake association members themselves. It will be impossible to prove exactly who dunnit, but they will blame someone. Want to guess whom?

I recently read a news story that interviewed one of the inspectors and he said that he has only refused access to 3 people since the inspections began.

Oh and by the way, all 3 that were refused we’re lake property owners trying to dump in their pontoons with a massive amount of dried lake vegetation on them.

Can you refuse a DNR inspection? We had a young girl inspect my nephews boat at Waconia. It was really a big deal. Took all of about 2 1/2 minutes. She asked a couple questions, looked at the rear of the boat and that was it.

On our way out the Sherif drove through. He never stepped out of the squad, just asked if the plug was removed. He said they were just going to go with warnings still for several more weeks.

Have they refused anyone access at Christmas Lake yet? To me, that’s when it becomes a problem.

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but they will blame someone. Want to guess whom?

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The inspectors, of course. They didn’t do what they were hired to do.

Drew is headed in the right direction.

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I recently read a news story that interviewed one of the inspectors and he said that he has only refused access to 3 people since the inspections began.

Oh and by the way, all 3 that were refused we’re lake property owners trying to dump in their pontoons with a massive amount of dried lake vegetation on them.

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Ha! That answers my question. But the fact they were all lakeshore owners makes me suspicious of a set up. Kind of trying to show they are not discriminating.

As for Christmas Lake, I too feel there is a hidden agenda. To me it smells of entitlement mentality. Its our lake, we feel strongly about it, we have the right to do it.

Will the $1000 fine be enough to pay off the zeebs so they don’t come over to Christmas ?? $38,000 for “round the clock inspection” for 24 hours a day, figuring a 6 month open water season, thats about $8.25 an hour…. sure they are getting a quality job

Don’t quote me, but I don’t think it is 24 hour. It is gated and is open like 6am to sundown? Heaven forbid outsiders night fish there.

I assume the deal when the DNR gave the city the access was that they kept it open to the public? In other words, could the city just lock up the access permanently?

I love the mentality…. we care so much we are paying our own money…. I just love the “we can throw more money at it” to keep it away mentality

“As for Christmas Lake, I too feel there is a hidden agenda. To me it smells of entitlement mentality”. I think you hit the nail on the head.

I was out there on 5/27 and four of the eight parking spaces were being used by cars without trailers. One of the spaces was being used for the AIS Inspectors’ car. It has long been suspected that Lakeshore Association members drop a car off in the morning to block a space and then pick it up in the evening(there is no signage indicating that the stalls are for vehicles with trailers). While I can’t prove whose cars these were, only three other boats were on the lake and it didn’t appear that all the boaters and fisher-persons drove separately. This association fought hard to block the public access and now seem to be finding ways to keep people off “their” lake. They have gotten No Parking signs on all surrounding streets, so if you can’t park at the ramp, your out of luck.

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“As for Christmas Lake, I too feel there is a hidden agenda. To me it smells of entitlement mentality”. I think you hit the nail on the head.

I was out there on 5/27 and four of the eight parking spaces were being used by cars without trailers. One of the spaces was being used for the AIS Inspectors’ car. It has long been suspected that Lakeshore Association members drop a car off in the morning to block a space and then pick it up in the evening(there is no signage indicating that the stalls are for vehicles with trailers). While I can’t prove whose cars these were, only three other boats were on the lake and it didn’t appear that all the boaters and fisher-persons drove separately. This association fought hard to block the public access and now seem to be finding ways to keep people off “their” lake. They have gotten No Parking signs on all surrounding streets, so if you can’t park at the ramp, your out of luck.

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Stories like that kinda make you want to dump a bucket of milfoil and zebs into christmas lake.

Wade

Sounds like the DNR should be taking liscense plate numbers and knocking on doors, making sure they know its a public ramp and parking for such, set aside by the DNR. Wouldn’t that be breaking the DNR’s rules and regulations if people were parking there and not useing the ramp, but going to work with someone else. Carpooling via parking set aside by the DNR for other purposes?

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Wade

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i was thinking the same thing. they sure are getting all the attention and im sure they are getting unwelcome attention as well, they are just setting themselves up for disaster.

Maybe next time the lot is full of cars without trailers a friendly phone call to the DNR should be make and a complaint made.

Unfortunately, this access is owned by the City of Shorewood not the DNR. It operates under an agreement with the DNR but no language about the parking stalls was specified. They fought the access when it came about and still seem to be doing so.

Did I miss something or did that inspection girl pull a weed off the trailer and throw it on the ground??? Seems to me that that is kind of stupid!!!! now wont it just wash right into the lake when water from trailers or boats hit it?
I’m just saying!!!

Hmmm
Any funding from the DNR??
Then I would think there would be some sort of language/conditions for the access. But I have not been following the story from the beginning. Sounds pretty easy to get ordinances passed in that town. All it takes is $$$$.

It would be hilarious to get a few hundred boats on trailed driving in circles for an hour or so around the lake. Kind of like a motorcycle club trying to intimidate the locals. And if the cops or sheriff tried pulling anyone over, you could just say you are looking for a spot to park so you can fish the local public lake.

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On our way out the Sherif drove through. He never stepped out of the squad, just asked if the plug was removed.

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My bro-in-law got stopped at the landing the other day. He’s got a direct-drive ski boat, and the plug is not on the transom, but mid-boat near the engine. The officer asked if his plug was out, to which he replied yes. Then, the officer asked him where the plug was located.

I think BK posted a copy of the 1986 agreement some months ago. It is a copy in Adobe Reader format, so I can’t post it. If anyone wants it send me an email and I’ll send it to you. [email protected]

Too bad the DNR didn’t see this coming back in ’86.

I’m not ripping on the DNR as who could have had the foresight?

For those that say dumping Zebs or anything else in the lake, I would say it’s much better to let nature take it’s course and infest it naturally. This way the Lakeshore owners can’t go running around pointing fingers and saying SEE? SEE?

Well, I guess they’ll do that either way once it’s infested.

as far as I am concerned, with the crowd surrounding the lake, it’s already infested with something much worse than zeebs…. it’s infested with azzholes

I just need a couple days notice and I prefer a weekday for the rally.

Ya G thats the worst of the worst, I wonder what would happen if someone brought up what the agreement origionally was. Maybe petition Shorewood and the DNR for a bigger parking lot and see what they say plus try to find out if any minnesota liscense money went into building the ramp. If the DNR has any sayso at all and maybe they don’t, they might be in a position to do something.

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Wade

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i was thinking the same thing. they sure are getting all the attention and im sure they are getting unwelcome attention as well, they are just setting themselves up for disaster.

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Exactly what I was thinking will happen…They’re going to destroy themselves with this.. Sad, but there are plenty of people with not much to do and may not like the association all that much.

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wow, im all for protecting our waters but this is a lost cause lets spend money on learning how to get rid of them or control them

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Get rid of them or control them . . . you mean the self-appointed lords who watch over Christmas Lake?

Yah, I’m all for that.