Chapter 16.25
WILMER’S POINT LANDING BOAT LAUNCH
Sections:
16.25.040 Fee applies to residents.
16.25.070 Posting of fee schedules – Collection of fees.
16.25.090 Payment of launching fees.
16.25.100 Parking lot closure.
16.25.110 Loitering prohibited.
16.25.120 Fishing tournaments.
16.25.140 Administration and regulations.
16.25.160 Display of parking receipt.
16.25.010 Intent.
It is the intent of this chapter to create fees consistent with the Wisconsin Administrative Code and the Department of Natural Resources rules and regulations pertaining to fees which may permissibly be charged at public accesses. (2008 code § 12.05(1))
16.25.020 Findings.
It is hereby found and determined that the operation of the Wilmer’s Point Landing and the maintenance therefor, along with other costs and expenses that can be directly attributable to the development, operation, and maintenance of this launch shall significantly exceed fees that the Town of East Troy can reasonably anticipate be generated from state access fees. Until such time as such fees can be charged to reimburse the Town of East Troy for such costs, it is the finding of the Town Board that it is in the Town of East Troy’s interest to charge the maximum permissible fee permitted under existing Wisconsin Administrative Code and Department of Natural Resources regulations. (2008 code § 12.05(2))
16.25.030 Fees.
For the 2016 calendar year, and thereafter until such time as the Town of East Troy may amend this chapter or obtain approval from the Department of Natural Resources to charge additional fees, the boat launch fees for Wilmer’s Point Landing shall be those fees as outlined below; however, if any of those fees exceed the maximum permissible fee permitted under NR 1.91(11), Wisconsin Administrative Code, said maximum will become the applicable fee:
1. Nonmotorized or nontrailered craft: $8.00;
2. Motorized craft less than 20 feet: $11.00 for resident and nonresidents;
3. Motorized craft between 20 and 26 feet: $13.00 for residents, $20.00 for nonresidents;
4. Motorized craft greater than 26 feet: $16.00 for residents, $24.00 for nonresidents;
5. Annual pass: 10 times the amount of the applicable fee above (i.e., $110.00 for an annual pass for a motorized craft less than 20 feet).
6. Parking without launching: $8.00. (Ord. 2023-2 § 1; Ord. 2016-1 § 1; Ord. 2008-02 § 1. 2008 code § 12.05(3))
16.25.040 Fee applies to residents.
The foregoing fee shall apply to residents. “Residents” means persons who permanently reside or own real property within the Town of East Troy. A nonresident is anyone who does not maintain residency or own property in the Town of East Troy. (2008 code § 12.05(4))
16.25.050 Nonresident fee.
Nonresidents shall pay a launching fee equal to 150 percent of the fee charged a resident under the aforementioned fee schedules. (2008 code § 12.05(5))
16.25.060 Annual fees.
Residents or nonresidents may apply for an annual fee which shall be equal to 10 times the daily launch fee. An annual pass shall be available at the launch site, when the attendant is present, or at the Town Hall during regular business hours. (2008 code § 12.05(6))
16.25.070 Posting of fee schedules – Collection of fees.
The Town Chief of Police shall post the fee schedules at the public landing and shall supervise the collection of fees. The Chief of Police may appoint parking lot attendants and other nonpolice personnel to supervise the operation of the launch and the Wilmer’s Point parking facility. Any failure to obey the directions of the launch attendants shall be deemed to be failure to obey a police officer and enforceable under ETMC Title 9 as if such attendants were police officers or other Town officials. (2008 code § 12.05(7))
16.25.080 Commercial users.
Commercial users of the launch shall be limited to those businesses that repair or provide maintenance to boats and any permit under this section shall be limited to boats that are actually serviced. Contractors that use the boat launch only for “work barges” which carry materials such as piers, gravel, sand, stone, etc., for pier, landscaping or sea-wall business shall be permitted to pay an annual $175.00 commercial access fee and shall be permitted weekday and limited weekend usage of the launch area, regardless of whether or not the parking lot is full. Their use shall be limited to access to the launch area and they shall be prevented from using any part of the parking lot for such special launching services. Work barge activity may be limited to weekdays or Saturday mornings, if the attendant believes that such activities do not unreasonably interfere with the ability for other users of the boat launch to launch or retrieve their boats. Commercial users of the launch, as defined in this section, and contractors that use the boat launch only for “work barges” which carry materials such as piers, gravel, sand, stone, etc., for pier, landscaping or sea-wall business shall be permitted to pay an annual $175.00 commercial access fee and shall be permitted weekday and limited weekend usage of the launch area, regardless of whether or not the parking lot is full. (2008 code § 12.05(8))
16.25.090 Payment of launching fees.
All launching fees provided for in this chapter shall be paid in the presence of the attendant at the landing or parking lot, if such attendant is present. If no attendant is present, the permit fee shall be placed inside a sealed envelope, as may be provided at the launch or parking lot at Wilmer’s Grove Road. The name of the person launching the boat, along with the boat identification number, shall be placed on the outside of said envelope. All instructions on said envelope shall be complied with prior to launching any boat. The receipt provided by the Town of East Troy shall be kept by said person launching the boat as proof of compliance with this section. Failure to comply with the requirements of this section shall subject the violators to a penalty of not less than $50.00 nor greater than $500.00 per violation. (2008 code § 12.05(9))
16.25.100 Parking lot closure.
The parking lot shall be closed and parking prohibited between 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. However, vehicles parked before the closed period may remain and be retrieved upon exiting the lake without any additional parking fee applying to the next day. Parking shall be limited to those areas within the painted lines and numbered parking slips. There shall be no parking along any of the curbs surrounding the parking lot. Parking shall be limited to those vehicles which have launched a watercraft and which have remitted a launch fee in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. (2008 code § 12.05(10))
16.25.110 Loitering prohibited.
There shall be no loitering at the boat launch, at the boat launch parking lot, or on the boat launch pier. The pier may only be used for the immediate launching or retrieval of boats or watercraft from Lake Beulah, or for temporary use of the public facilities at the boat launch or boat launch pier. Swimming or fishing off the public boat launch or boat launch pier shall be prohibited, as the Town finds such activities are inconsistent with boat launch usage and will create a health and safety hazard. (2008 code § 12.05(11))
16.25.120 Fishing tournaments.
Any fishing tournament or other organized activity involving a business promotion, tournament involving awards or trophies, or any other organized activity calling for the usage of five or more parking spaces at the Wilmer’s Grove parking lot shall be prohibited except by a special event permit. Any application for which a DNR permit is required shall be accompanied by the permit issued by the Department of Natural Resources and be attached to the form which shall be available at the Town Hall or through the Town’s Police Department upon prior request. Special event permits may be issued by the Town Chief of Police upon no less than 72 hours’ prior notice. Each person participating in such an event and the organization itself shall be deemed in violation of this section if a special event permit is not obtained. The fee for this special event permit shall be $5.00 for the permit plus $1.00 for each participant. A surcharge of $2.00 per vehicle using the boat launch and/or parking lot shall be assessed. In the event the number of participants in a special event exceed the permit applied for, then the applicant shall report the same to the parking lot attendant or, if there is no parking lot attendant, to the Town Police Department by 8:00 p.m. of the day of the special event and pay a fee equal to such additional participation no later than the end of the third business day following said event. (2008 code § 12.05(12))
16.25.130 Review of fees.
The Town Board shall review fees on an annual basis to insure that such fees bear reasonable relation to the costs of the Town of East Troy pertaining to the maintenance of the public launch and to the Town’s lake-related supervision and enforcement costs. The Town shall annually seek such adjustments from the Department of Natural Resources as may be warranted based upon the Town’s expenses related to the launch. (2008 code § 12.05(13))
16.25.140 Administration and regulations.
The Town Chief of Police shall administer the boat launch fee program and establish regulations necessary to implement the foregoing fees, meet all posting requirements, and establish other safety regulations as he may deem necessary in the interest of public health, safety and welfare. (2008 code § 12.05(14))
16.25.150 Overnight parking.
Overnight parking shall be permitted for those that have launched boats prior to 11:00 p.m. However, any vehicle that is parked after 5:00 a.m. the following morning shall pay an additional daily parking/launch fee as set forth in ETMC 16.25.030. (2008 code § 12.05(15))
16.25.160 Display of parking receipt.
Inclusive in the provisions of this chapter providing for parking fees, any receipt for parking must be prominently displayed on the dash. (2008 code § 12.05(16))