Boaters' Outcry Prompts City Council to Defer Action on Party Boat Rules

In the wake of vocal opposition by the local boating community, the Kirkland City Council on Tuesday declined to act on strict new marine regulations proposed to limit large concentrations of boaters who gather to party virtually every warm summer day in Juanita Bay.

Instead, a new ordinance proposed by city staff that would prohibit more than two boats at a time from tethering, or "rafting,” and prohibit loud “disturbance noise” was referred to the council’s Public Safety Committee for review.

At least 40 boating enthusiasts showed up at the council’ls Tuesday night meeting to argue against the new rules, saying that rafting is a perfectly legitimate way for law-abiding boaters to socialize and that the noise regulation would be going overboard.

The sheer number and noise of boaters who gather in the shallow and sheltered Lake Washington bay on warm summers days to party, play music and often drink has long prompted complaints from shoreline residents and users of and parks, the latter a designated city wildlife sanctuary.

Shortly after testimony by both boaters and those who support some form of action, Councilmember Penny Sweet moved that the proposed regulations be referred to the committee, “in order for us to get a process that will involve more of the public.”

“This is not ready for prime time,” she added. “Too many questions are unanswered, the maps are unclear.”

The proposed ordinance would prohibit “three or more” boats from tying up together and “public disturbance noise” on the water from engines, horns, sirens, audio systems audible at distances “greater than 50 feet” and “yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling or singing, particularly between sunset and sunrise...”

Kirkland Police Capt. Bill Hamilton told the council that the bay can get so noisy and crowded in summertime that it not only prompts complaints from residents and park users, but also raises concerns among the various police agencies on the lake for public safety.

Boaters agreed there were issues on the bay, and seemed most upset about the rafting rule. But they criticized almost all of the regulations and said they would turn people away from Kirkland and limit the city’s attraction as a waterfront destination.

John Gilday of Kirkland said the city was “indulging in a wee bit of class warfare.”

“If people on the waterfront can call police and say ‘I hear Snoop Dog,’ can boaters on the water call police and say ‘Hey, I can hear the waterfront resident’s Shih Tzu’?”

Terry Durfee, a board member of the Seattle-based Rainier Yacht Club, said the rules would penalize law-abiding boaters because of the actions of a minority.

“Lake Washington is a destination. Kirkland is a destination. (Boaters) come from all over Puget Sound to Kirkland,” he said. “They spend money in your restaurants and retail stores. They come to raft on Lake Washington. Rafting provides not only a social atmosphere, but also protection for our children and grandchildren to swim. Rafting is not the issue.”

Rainier Yacht Club Fleet Captain Jeff Pace urged the council to deep-six the rafting rule and compromise. “We’re aware of the problems on Juanita Bay, not only for the city but for residents. The problem is a somewhat vocal minority.”

But Brent Anderson, a 25-year resident of Rose Point Lane on the bay, said the summertime situation there can be almost unbearable for residents. “I’m not talking about noise from outside on the deck. I talking about going inside the house, shutting the doors and windows and still hearing the the music. We get that every day in the summertime.”

He added that there are often serious safety issues on the bay “when someone is seeing how fast their cigar boat can go and there are lots of people in the water. Somebody is going to get hurt -- people have been hurt -- when you mix sun, booze and people on the water.”

Kirkland resident Ed Duin said he lives two blocks from the bay and in summer the “sound carries all day and night. I went away (last) summer for three months to Nepal just to get away from that noise.” He urged that the ordinance be rewritten, saying “I see nothing wrong with tying up together.”

The vote to refer the issue to the Public Safety Committee was unanimous, and councilmembers urged that the process be open and that all sides be involved.

“I think we’ve heard that it’s important to have a very open and transparent process,” said Toby Nixon, and the council’s newest member. “We need to come up with something more reasonable.”

At the same time, Mayor Joan McBride recognized concerns expressed by park enthusiasts about the impact of the boats and noise on wildlife. “This is the best habitat on the lake, this is a rare place, this is a huge habitat, so I hope we can also consider the critters that might not do well with speeding boats and noise.”