Article IV. Specific Rules for Lakes and Other Areas
8.88.460 Class "A" Lakes.
All lakes which are 500 acres or more are Class "A" lakes. The Class "A" lakes are: Lake Tapps, Alder Lake, and Lake Kapowsin.
A. Special Restrictions for Class "A" Lakes.
1. It shall be unlawful to operate a motor-powered vessel in excess of five miles per hour between sunset and sunrise on any Class "A" lake.
2. It shall be unlawful to operate any vessel in excess of 60 miles per hour on any Class "A" lake.
B. Regulations for Specific Lakes.
1. Lake Tapps.
a. It shall be unlawful to operate a motor-powered vessel in excess of five miles per hour within the area known as the Lake Ridge Cove except for the purpose of taking off and landing water-skiers (or other pulled or propelled water device) from the property along the cove, provided that:
(1) The vessels enter the cove only if they approach the entrance to the cove at a right angle for a distance of not less than 200 feet from the cove entrance on either side;
(2) Vessels coming out of the cove have priority over vessels coming into the cove;
(3) A clear water area shall exist prior to any entry into the cove;
(4) The vessels shall be kept on the right half of the cove;
(5) The skiers shall stay directly behind the vessel when entering or exiting the cove;
(6) A distance of 200 feet shall be kept behind all other vessels traveling in the same direction;
(7) In the event the channel is obstructed, unsafe, or unlawful to proceed, the vessels shall come to a full stop and bring the skier aboard.
b. It shall be unlawful to wade, swim, take off, or land water-skiers from the beaches at the entrance to the Lake Ridge Cove, for a distance of 100 feet in either direction from the narrowest point of the entrance to Lake Ridge Cove.
c. It shall unlawful to operate a vessel in excess of five miles per hour within the channels between Lake Ridge Addition and Deer Island, or Deer Island and Island 21, except for the purpose of taking off and landing water-skiers from the property along the channels or the adjacent coves, provided the vessels shall:
(1) Keep the vessel on the right half of the channel;
(2) Keep the skier directly behind the vessel;
(3) Keep a distance of 200 feet behind all other vessels traveling in the same direction;
(4) Not to pass another vessel in the channel traveling in the same direction;
(5) Come to a full stop and bring the skier aboard in the event that the channel is obstructed or unsafe or unlawful to proceed.
d. It shall be unlawful for motorized vessels to anchor, drift, or raft boats together in Deer Island/Lakedridge Cove within 1,000 feet of the fire district emergency rescue boat launch, except at a private dock.
e. It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully cause the channels to become obstructed or cause a hazard to safety.
f. It shall be unlawful to raft two or more vessels together in any cove or channel or within 500 feet of shore on Lake Tapps, except in a designated area along Dike 4 near the Pierce County Park. The designated area is generally rectangular in shape, starts 200 feet north of the southwest corner of Dike 4 and extends northerly along the shoreline 1,000 feet and from shore 250 feet west (see Figure 8.88.460-1).
g. It shall be unlawful for motorized vessels to anchor, drift, or raft boats together within the cove commonly known as Fairweather Cove which is between Driftwood Point and Tacoma Point, extending 2,500 feet from the bridge.
Figure 8.88.460.
2. Alder Lake.
a. It shall be unlawful to operate any vessel or swim within 200 feet of any log boom located at or on Alder Lake.
b. It shall be unlawful to operate a vessel in excess of 5 mph, or at any slower speed that creates an appreciable wake, in the area on Alder Lake from the eastern border of Rocky Point Park east to State Route 7 at Elbe.
c. It shall be unlawful to operate any motorized vessel, except electric trolling motors, in the cove on Alder Lake in the southeast section of Alder Lake Park, which is nearest the intersection of Cemetery and Lillie Dale Rd.
3. Lake Kapowsin.
a. Restricted Activities and Vessels. Except for coaching and safety launches, operating under the auspices of the Kapowsin Rowing Center Authority, it shall be unlawful to operate any vessel at a speed in excess of five miles per hour, or to create a wake greater than three inches in height, or to water ski, operate a personal watercraft or similar vessel, or take off or land an airplane on Lake Kapowsin.
b. Restricted Areas. Training lanes, designated by lines of buoys, shall be set aside for the exclusive use of rowing shells and/or flat water racing canoes or kayaks, and accompanying launches. Other vessels shall confine their activities to the other areas of the lake.
c. Regattas, Races, and Other Aquatic Events. Events on the Lake will be approved and regulated by the Board of Directors of the Kapowsin Rowing Center Authority. The Kapowsin Rowing Center Authority Board of Directors is hereby granted the authority to close only those portions of the lake and public areas maintained by the Kapowsin Rowing Center Authority for events if, in the sole opinion of the Kapowsin Rowing Center Authority Board, the safety of participants, spectators, or others or the well being of the facilities warrants such a closure; PROVIDED, that any such proposed closure shall be acted upon by the Kapowsin Rowing Center Authority Board of Directors at one of its regular or special meetings. For purposes of this Section, "event" shall mean rowing races and regattas that require the use of four or more racing lanes.
B. A violation of any provision of this Section constitutes a Class 4 civil infraction under Chapter 1.16 PCC.