Lake Minnetonka residents push for boaters to slow down

After years of watching speeding boaters zip by on two popular Lake Minnetonka bays, some frustrated residents have had enough. This year, they say, was the last straw, as more boaters cruised by during historically high water levels, not abiding by speed restrictions and causing huge wakes.

Now, they're looking to do something about it, petitioning to put new speed rules on parts of Harrisons and West Arm bays.

"There's more boat traffic and the horsepower of the boats is ever-increasing," said Spring Park resident Randy Bickmann, one of three couples behind the petition. "It's a critical safety issue."

The request to add a "quiet water area," which already exist in parts of the massive lake but haven't been added on Minnetonka since 2008, will be discussed at what's expected to be a packed public hearing Nov. 12. The petitioners say the area, which would restrict boats from going more than 5 miles per hour or creating a minimum wake, will help prevent boat accidents and the increasing shoreline erosion they see from the big waves.

But more than 300 lake residents have signed a counter-petition, saying that the rule would affect hundreds of lakeshore owners on several surrounding bays that use the area to get to other parts of lake.

"The part of the bay they want to restrict isn't busy 90 percent of the time," said Ed Rockwell, who started a petition and website called enjoytonka.com against the rule.

He said there are few safety concerns and more things homeowners could do to prevent erosion. Enacting the speed restrictions, he said, would make it feel like homeowners are living on a channel, not a main part of Lake Minnetonka.

The Nov. 12 hearing will be held by the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District, which regulates use on the lake. The "quiet water area" is about 85 acres of Harrisons and West Arm bays — about a 2-mile perimeter — that includes homes in Orono, Mound and Spring Park near an existing "quiet water area" on Seton Channel.

"It's a pretty substantial request in this area," said Greg Nybeck, executive director of the conservation district.

He said other areas of the lake have been designed "quiet water areas," but most were established three decades ago, and this would be the first new restricted area since 2008. He said that the conservation district's board could vote on it by Dec. 10. If approved, it would take effect next spring.

"We're getting input from both sides," said Dan Baasen, the board chair. "We have to look at overall users of the lake."

This summer, the conservation district implemented unprecedented lake-wide wake restrictions for almost two months because of historic water levels. From his lakeshore property on Harrisons bay, Bickmann said erosion was exacerbated by boaters who didn't follow the rule.

It's part of a popular "circle" route, but he said that more paddle boarders, canoes and kayaks are trying to use the area along with the cruising boats. Less than a mile away, Rockwell agrees, but he said slowing boaters could have unintended results, like encouraging boaters to tie up and party in the area, much like they do in Cruiser's Cove by Big Island.

"The way I see it, the petitioners had a summer of no-wake and liked it and are trying to keep it that way," he said. "In our opinion, just leave the lake the way it is."