Lake Billy Chinook subdivision seeks no-wake, anchoring rules

The Oregon State Marine Board said Tuesday it received a petition for rulemaking last week requesting a no-wake and no unauthorized anchoring regulation for the the Fly Creek subdivision on Lake Billy Chinook in Jefferson County.

The proposed rule would establish a no-wake zone in the entirety of the Fly Creek Inlet of Lake Billy Chinook and unauthorized anchoring, mooring or beaching a boat would be allowed only if granted permission by the private property owners within the zone.

The proposed no-wake and unauthorized anchoring/mooring/beaching zones would extend beyond the Fly Creek Inlet into the Metolius River arm, in addition to a 200-foot proximity around floating structures present ,up to a point 500 feet west and 1,200 feet east of the Fly Creek Inlet.

The petition sites a need for the rule based on safety concerns due to the proximity and quantity of permitted floating structures and underwater obstructions in the Fly Creek Inlet.

Written comments can be submitted via email to osmb.rulemaking@oregon.gov or by U.S. mail to: June LeTarte, Administrative Rules Coordinator, 435 Commercial Street NE, Suite 400, Salem, OR 97301. Comments via telephone will not be accepted.

Following the close of the public comment period, the Board will meet on December 5 by teleconference from the Marine Board office in Salem to discuss the petition, officials said.

The board may make a motion to deny, or direct staff to initiate the rulemaking process to consider the proposed petition.

Public comment on this petition will not be accepted at the board meeting. If the board directs staff to open the rulemaking process, additional public comment will be sought before final rule adoption.

To review the petition and public notice, visit http://www.oregon.gov/OSMB/info/Pages/Rulemaking-and-Public-Notices.aspx.