Lake Wylie Marine Commission July 24, 2017 Good Samaritan United Methodist Church

Transcription

1 Lake Wylie Marine Cmmissin July 24, 2017 Gd Samaritan United Methdist Church Cmmissiners Present: Cmmissiners Absent: LWMC Staff Present: Chairman Lynn Smith (Mecklenburg Cunty) Vice Chairman Neil Brennan (Gastn Cunty) Cmmissiner Ellen Gff (Yrk Cunty) Cmmissiner Peter Hegarty (Mecklenburg Cunty) Secretary Treasurer Rbert Biggerstaff (Gastn Cunty) Assistant Secretary Treasurer Brad Thmas (Gastn Cunty) Cmmissiner Tim Mead (Mecklenburg Cunty) Cmmissiner Blanche Bryant (Yrk Cunty) Cmmissiner Gerge Medler (Yrk Cunty) Je Stwe, Executive Directr; Chris Clark, Legal Cunsel; Emily Parker, Administratr Meeting Minutes Missin Statement T prmte public plicies and supprt regulatins fr the preservatin f Lake Wylie and its wildlife and fr the educatin and safety f the citizens wh use this beautiful natural resurce. Item 1 Welcme and Intrductins Chairman Smith called the meeting t rder at 7:00 pm and welcmed everyne present. Item 2 Apprval f Minutes Chairman Smith asked if any changes need t be made t the June 26, 2017 minutes. Vice Chairman Brennan mved t apprve the June 26, 2017 minutes. Secretary Treasurer Biggerstaff secnded the mtin and it was apprved unanimusly. Item 3 Apprval f Agenda Chairman Smith asked if any changes need t be made t the July 24, 2017 agenda. Secretary Treasurer Biggerstaff mved t apprve the July 24 agenda. Cmmissiner Mead secnded the mtin and it was apprved unanimusly. Item 4 Public Cmment Mr. Sid Smith, Lake Wylie resident. Mr. Smith tld the Lake Wylie Marine Cmmissin abut an upcming educatinal pprtunity. The Charltte Green Team will hld a meeting n August 24 frm 3:00 pm 4:30 pm at the Crwne Plaza Htel Executive Park. Mr. Barry Gullet, Directr f Charltte Water, will be the speaker at that meeting and will talk abut the future f water in the Catawba Wateree basin. There is n charge t attend this event but if peple plan t attend, t please RSVP (t chargreenteam@al.cm). Mr. Smith nted that this wuld be a gd pprtunity fr different audiences (e.g., HOAs, law enfrcement, etc.) t hear this presentatin. Vice Chairman Brennan asked hw the Charltte Green Team is publicizing this event. He fllwed up by saying that perhaps the Marine Cmmissin culd use its cnnectins with lcal TV statins t further publicize the event. 1

2 Mr. Smith said that any assistance wuld be appreciated. Vice Chairman Brennan affirmed that Mr. Gullet s presentatin is in line with the LWMC s missin statement. Mr. Chris Garvey, lake resident. Mr. Garvey lives n the main channel and has five mile visibility frm his hme. He brught up the issue f majr water hazards in the main channel and what t d with them nce they are remved frm the main channel. He wuld like t cllabrate t cme up with a slutin t this serius safety issue. Mr. Garvey asked if anyne r cmpany has been hired t pick up big items that are pulled ut f the water. Mr. Garvey asked if there is a place where water hazards culd be twed t. Chairman Smith asked Rnnie Lawsn (Duke Energy) if he had any suggestins. Mr. Lawsn suggested that Mr. Garvey cntact Duke Energy Lake Services ( r lakeservices@duke energy.cm). He added that Dck Masters ( ) is wh cntracts with Duke Energy t remve water hazards frm the lake. Item 5 Stakehlder Reprts Charltte Mecklenburg Plice Department Officer Jye reprted that what he mentined at the last LWMC meeting abut CMPD s departmental rerganizatin will nt happen. He cmmented that they had tw bats n Lake Wylie ver the July 4 th weekend and nw ne f them needs repair. They will have ne bat fr the rest f the seasn. Officer Jye said that July 4 th was fine there were n drwnings r majr issues. Chairman Smith mentined that she received an frm a bater that praised and thanked CMPD Officer Bruce Mullis fr great service. Officer Jye added that the Cast Guard will be back n Lake Wylie befre the next hliday and then back again n the next hliday. They were n Lake Wylie ver the July 4 th weekend. Gastn Cunty Plice Department Officer Hamrick reprted that it has been an eventful mnth. GCPD attended a Rutherfrd Cunty event. They tk sme f their equipment and wn Best f Shw. He said it was gd t get kids expsed t law enfrcement in a psitive manner. He cmmented n the July 4 th incident at the US Natinal Whitewater Center (USNWC). Law enfrcement had t shut dwn part f the USNWC. Executive Directr Stwe asked Officer Hamrick if Officer Hrd has rdered signs. Officer Hamrick will ask Officer Hrd and get back t Mr. Stwe. Yrk Cunty Sheriff s Office Sgt. Mabry reprted that YCSO made it thrugh July 4 th withut any majr incidents. He infrmed the LWMC that the YCSO has instructed nearly 90 students n bater safety. Thse students passed the test and answered a ttal f 5,160 questins. Of the ttal, their students have missed just ver 100 questins which is a gd sign f success. The YCSO calls fr assistance are increasingly fr help belw the dam between 6:30 pm 8:30 pm. Calls fr assistance are als cming frm the Daltn Landing (Brad River) area. Sgt. Mabry nted that many peple are flating dwn the Brad River and Lake Wylie. Executive Directr Stwe asked if there has been any update n the sewage spill. Sgt. Mabry said he had nt heard. Chairman Smith added that the Cast Guard is cming back t Lake Wylie n August 12. Tega Cay Plice Department Sgt. Lauren Gallway was present and intrduced herself t the LWMC. NC Wildlife Resurces Cmmissin Sgt. Latn reprted that the July 4 th hliday was relatively calm. He said that the NCWRC is lking at the 9.4 miles f Lake Wylie that has Nrth Carlina and Suth Carlina n bth sides. In the past and at the present time, the NCWRC des nt pursue baters int Suth Carlina waters. The NCWRC des nt have authrity in Suth Carlina. NCWRC wants t crdinate with Suth Carlina law enfrcement in a way that makes sense fr all parties fr the safety f all lake users. NCWRC s legal staff in Raleigh is lking int it. Vice Chairman Brennan ran int a SCDNR law enfrcement staff member that feels the same way as Sgt. Latn and thers at NCWRC. Sgt. Latn said that a prblem is in that 9.4 mile stretch, the state line is nt clearly defined. Therefre, when an fficer thinks he r she is in ne state, they culd actually be in the ther state, and the legal ramificatins that culd cme alng with that situatin. Sgt. Latn and thers wuld like fr prtcl t be clear in that 9.4 mile stretch f the lake. Vice Chairman Brennan applauded Sgt. Latn s wrk n this issue. Cmmissiner Mead cmmented that it seems that there are tw issues at hand: 1) a law enfrcement fficer s jurisdictin (which may lead t reciprcal agreement between Nrth Carlina and Suth Carlina) 2) the ability f 2

3 an fficer t testify in anther state s curt, which wuld require a separate legislative enactment. Cmmissiner Mead suggested that the LWMC Chairman put a task frce tgether t mnitr prgress n these tw items. Vice Chairman Brennan vlunteered t serve n that task frce. Cmmissiner Gff pinted ut that there is anther issue reciprcal fishing licenses between Nrth and Suth Carlina. Secretary Treasurer Biggerstaff agreed with Cmmissiner Gff, there shuld be a reciprcal fishing license between Nrth and Suth Carlina. Cmmissiner Mead said that the tw issues that Sgt. Latn raised are independent f the reciprcal fishing license agreement situatin. Vice Chairman Brennan agreed that it is a separate issue. Cmmissiner Mead cntinued that adding n the reciprcal fishing license issue wuld pssibly be cunterprductive t the prgress f the tw issues Sgt. Latn brught up. He als mentined that any bi state laws that change n Lake Wylie wuld need t change between Nrth Carlina and Virginia, and Nrth Carlina and Tennessee. Cmmissiner Thmas asked if NCWRC received their glw sticks. Sgt. Latn said that they did nt. Officer Jye cmmented that the last rder f glw sticks was nt as gd as what has been rdered previusly. Chairman Smith said that the LWMC will rder mre glw sticks. SC Department f Natural Resurces N reprt was given. US Cast Guard N reprt was given. US Cast Guard Auxiliary N reprt was given. Mecklenburg Cunty Land Use and Envirnmental Services Agency (LUESA) N reprt was given. Duke Energy Rnnie Lawsn reprted that: Lake level: 97.3 (target level: 97.0 ) Lw inflw prtcl: Stage 0. N dredge permits have been submitted r apprved in the past mnth. Mr. Lawsn said that n May 5, Duke Energy filed changes in the Cmprehensive Relicensing Agreement with FERC. FERC has said that they will issue a public ntice and did s n July 13. Next steps include public review and then an apprval prcess. Part f the changes filed were abut raising lake levels (n Lake Wylie, frm 97.0 t 97.6 ). Secretary Treasurer Biggerstaff cmmented that August is usually dryer and htter than the rest f the summer. Mr. Lawsn cmmented n the amunt f water that evaprates during the summer. Cmmissiner Thmas asked if Duke Energy culd anticipate summertime evapratin levels and prceed with raising lake levels. Gastn Cunty Cve Keeper N reprt was given. Lake Wylie Lakekeeper Reprt Cmmissiner Gff reprted fr Dan Mullane. She said that an update n the Bnterra cnstructin site is frthcming. The Catawba Riverkeeper Fundatin s Annual meeting is scheduled fr August 5 details are n their website. A clean up event will happen at Lansfrd Canal n August 19. A sewage spill ccurred in Sugar Creek and fund its way int the Catawba River. In this situatin, dilutin was the slutin. Item 6 Safety Vide fr Bat Rental Cmpanies Mr. Hunter Wilsn, with Lake Wylie Bat Rental, presented t the LWMC. Lake Wylie Bat Rental has been in peratin fr arund 5 years. He spke t the LWMC abut the safety vide custmers watch befre they take pntn bats ut n the water. The vide is thrugh in sme ways but nt in thers. He wuld like t take the initiative t reprduce a vide fr Lake Wylie. His request t the LWMC was t pint him in the directin f the mst knwledgeable bater safety resurces n Lake Wylie. Vice Chairman Brennan suggested that Mr. Wilsn speak with law enfrcement staff that were present at the meeting. Cmmissiner Gff said that the fcus f the vide shuld be n what peple need t knw befre they g ut, starting with life jacket safety. Mr. Wilsn said that the current vide is arund 22 minutes lng and Cmmissiner Gff cmmented that it is ver twice as lng as it shuld be. She als mentined the Cast Guard as being the authrities n bater safety. At the end f Mr. 3

4 Wilsn s presentatin, Vice Chairman Brennan intrduced Jeff Weir f the Freedm Bat Club that perates at the Tailrace Marina. Item 7 Riversweep 2017 Update Vice Chairman Brennan reprted that the Riversweep Planning Cmmittee met n July 19. There will be 15 sites this year including the Belmnt Riverside Marina, Lftin Park Bat Landing, and Paw Creek. Catawba Nuclear Plant is dnating eight tickets t Checkers games and 8 tickets t 2018 Knights games as prizes. Muddy River Distillery will make a dnatin as well. River Hills Glf has dnated a rund f glf fr fur. There are als give away lg items frm Yrk Cunty. A Public Service Annuncement vide has been sent t WBTV (CBS), WSOC (ABC), and Time Warner Cable nw Spectrum. Cmmissiner Gff was interviewed n the Spectrum Channel regarding Bating Safety prir t the July 4 th weekend and plugged Riversweep as well. Item 8 Treasurer s Reprt Secretary Treasurer Biggerstaff prvided the Treasurer s reprt. Item 9 Executive Directr s Reprt Executive Directr Stwe reprted n the fllwing items: NC/SC Jurisdictin Prcedures This tpic was addressed earlier in the meeting (see Sgt. Latn s reprt n pages 2 3). He received a call frm a lake resident whse neighbr s bat is leaking gas. The man wanted t knw what t d abut it and wh t call. Sgt. Mabry said that it wuld depend n the amunt f gas that has leaked. Item 10 Chairman s Reprt Chairman Smith reprted that she attended the mnthly fficers meeting and the Riversweep planning meeting. Item 11 Clerk s Reprt Ms. Parker did nt have a reprt. Item 12 Old/New Business and Cmmissin Prjects Reprts Old Business Water Quality Clean Marina/Clean Bating Secretary Treasurer Biggerstaff reprted that all marinas have new Clean Marina flags and they have all been inspected r re inspected. Invasive Species Cmmissiner Medler was nt present t give a reprt. Sedimentatin Cmmissin Gff reprted that there was an Op Ed article in The Herald abut the destructive elements f develpment happening near Lake Wylie. She cmmented that the envirnment needs t be prtected alng with Yrk Cunty s ecnmic develpment pprtunities. Cmmissiner Gff added that the Cunty s department that versees envirnmental issues appears t be understaffed. She plans t fllw up with the Yrk Cunty Manager. Buys Secretary Treasurer Biggerstaff said he gt a call frm Vice Chairman Brennan abut buys near a train trestle, and he called Terry Everhart t inspect the situatin. Mr. Everhart and Officer Jye mved the buys back int place. Chairman Smith said there is a buy in Byd s Cve that has n markings n it. She wuld appreciate it if Mr. Everhart culd put a slw n wake sticker n it. Vice Chairman Brennan had a pint t clarify abut buys if smene put a buy ut t mark a n wake zne, it culd be taken ut f the water because it des nt fllw prcedure, even thugh it 4

5 may be placed apprpriately. Sgt. Latn cnfirmed that that is crrect. There is a matrix that NCWRC uses t determine if smething shuld be a n wake zne. Safety Cmmissiner Bryant was nt present t give a reprt. Recreatin N reprt was given. Public Infrmatin Cmmissiner Gff reprted that a press release was issued befre July 4 th. The website is live but still has a number f areas that are under cnstructin. She wuld like t have the ld site taken dwn by the end f July. Item 13 Adjurnment The meeting adjurned at 8:23 pm. 5