Receive Resident Request for Watercraft and Hunting Restrictions on Rogers Lake and Discuss Educational Campaign

The purpose of this case is to receive a request from residents Chrystille & Rolly Schinzel, property owners abutting Rogers Lake, to implement restrictions on Watercraft and Hunting on Rogers Lake. This is the second request the City has received from this property owner, the first being in June, 2015. Staff attempted to resolve the concern with the first request. However, since the concern appears to remain, Staff is elevating this to City Council review.

The resident states that motorized boats on Rogers Lake are creating a nuisance due to the noise generated. Allegedly, boaters are using boat propellers to remove vegetation in the Lake.

The resident is concerned about noise and safety related to hunting on the lake.

Notification is not required at this stage.

Staff met with representatives of the cities of Nowthen and Oak Grove, as each community has jurisdiction over Rogers Lake. In reviewing the solution proposed by the resident, the group arrived at a consensus that a better approach may be to provide better education on regulations that already exist, rather than create a new regulation that would be very difficult to enforce. In discussions with Staff at Nowthen and Oak Grove, it is not likely that these communities will support an ordinance restricting motorized watercraft or additional hunting limits beyond State Statute. Additionally, there is no public access to the lake to allow any of the affected jurisdictions (Nowthen, Oak Grove, Ramsey, Anoka County Sheriff, Upper Rum River WMO, Lower Rum River WMO) access to enforce any limitations on watercraft.

Rogers Lake is a relatively shallow lake with a significant amount of vegetation. The status of Rogers Lake is closely related to that of a wetland. There were previous issues with excessive vegetation removal on the lake. It is assumed that this led to a classification of impaired waters. However, since the DNR was successful in enforcing vegetation removal limits on the lake itself, the water quality has significantly improved. Ultimately, it appears that when the limits and process for vegetative removal are enforced, the issue at hand is resolved. Ultimately, boaters are not to utilize the boat propeller itself as a vegetative removal tool. Using existing regulations such as this will likely resolve the primary concern.

Police Department Staff will be available to answer any specific questions about hunting regulations; however, no changes to hunting regulations on Rogers Lake are recommended. Staff feels we have the appropriate tools to address the concern.

Staff has discussed this educational alternative with the resident, and they are supportive of the approach. The residents may attend the meeting to discuss their concerns with potential nuisances on the lake.

Staff recommends that the City Council direct Staff to prepare an Educational Fact Sheet for Rogers Lake dealing with water quality, vegetative management, hunting regulations, and noise standards. This Fact Sheet would be a joint effort with the applicable jurisdictions listed above and mailed to all shoreline owners of Rogers Lake.  Staff would route the draft Fact Sheet through the Environmental Policy Board for their review as well.

Motion to direct Staff to prepare an Educational Fact Sheet for Rogers Lake as discussed.