The first reading for an ordinance that would prohibit the use of watercraft in Lake Lillian, including boats and kayaks, will take place this week.
The ordinance will be introduced during the Belleview City Commission’s regular meeting on Tuesday, July 1.
“The City Commission finds that use of boats, kayaks or other floatation devices in the waters of Lake Lillian, city ponds, or city stormwater retention areas pose the risk of unreasonably interfering with other users of the park (such as those fishing) and poses an unacceptable risk to persons using such devices,” reads the ordinance.
Accordingly, the ordinance would amend the chapter of the city’s code that specifies restrictions and prohibited conduct at Lake Lillian Park and other ponds and stormwater retention areas within the city.
The new ordinance would prohibit the use of “boats, kayaks, or other floatation devices on or in the waters of Lake Lillian, ponds or stormwater retention areas within the city.”
Any person caught using a boat, kayak, or floatation device in the specified bodies of water would be “guilty of trespassing,” with the exception of Belleview Public Works Department employees authorized for maintenance.
The ordinance suggests that it is “in the public interest to prohibit the use of boats, kayaks, or other floatation devices in Lake Lillian, ponds, and retention areas located within the city.”
Tuesday’s reading will mark the introduction of the ordinance to the commission. The group will not vote to approve or deny the ordinance until a second, and final, reading is conducted. That second reading will likely take place at the council’s second meeting of the month, which is scheduled for Tuesday, July 15.
Do you support the city’s decision? Do you think other municipalities in Marion County should follow suit? Share your thoughts in a comment below or, if you have more to say on the topic, write a letter to the editor.
The Belleview City Commission regularly meets on the first and third Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. at Belleview City Hall (5343 SE Abshier Boulevard).