DavidsonNews.net

Members of the Lake Davidson Working Committee listen to a presentatiohn Wednesday. From left: Davidson Assistant Town Manager Dawn Blobaum, Mooresville Planner Tim Brown, Davidson Town Attorney Rick Kline, Mooresville Commissioner Miles Atkins, Davidson Commissioner Bill Johnson and Mooresville Commissioner Frank Rader. Davidson Commissioner Margo Williams was also present.

More than 150 people showed up at Mooresville’s Mack Citizens Center Wednesday night to speak at a public hearing on the future of Lake Davidson. It’s a topic that has aroused a flurry of email and petition campaigns in Davidson and Mooresville in recent weeks.

Most comments during the three-hour meeting were civil, though pointed. Officials from the two towns heard from a biologist and Davidson Lands Conservancy member about how the lake’s small size and limited inflow and outflow create ecological concerns. Boaters and water-skiers defended the safety of their activities and said they’re not to blame for erosion or pollution. And backers of lower-impact uses such as kayaking and swimming argued in favor of banning boats with motors over 10 horsepower.

Doug Oldenburg spoke on behalf of Friends of Lake Davidson, which opposes high-powered boats. “I have signed statements here from over 240 people supporting our concerns and urging you to recommend that our two towns adopt and enforce a 10 horsepower regulation on boat motors,” he said near the start of the meeting.

The hearing was the public’s first chance to comment since a two-town Lake Davidson Working Committee began meeting this summer to consider new limits on powerboats and lakeside development.

Yvonne and Tom Miller of Mooresville wore yellow stickers with kayakers to Wednesday's meeting to show their support for restrictions on large boat motors. (David Boraks photo)

The 341-acre lake is on the border of Iredell and Mecklenburg counties and is separated from the much larger Lake Norman by Interstate 77.

Davidson has already adopted development restrictions along the lakefront, to control runoff and pollution. It also already has a 10-horsepower motor limit, though it has not enforced the rule because, town officials say, it lacks a zoning enforcement officer.

The committee grew out of Davidson’s unsuccessful efforts over the past two years to get Mooresville to match its restrictions. It remains to be seen if the committee will be able to reach a compromise.

The question of jurisdiction came up several times during the evening. Davidson Town Attorney Rick Kline said nine government bodies, agencies or commissions oversee various aspects of Lake Davidson. It came out Wednesday night that the Lake Norman Marine Commission sent the town of Davidson a letter on Aug. 14 that warns the towns cannot regulate boat horsepower on the lake. Davidson officials have acknowledged that, but they argue the towns can regulate boats through zoning. (Download a copy of the letter below)

COMPETING VISIONS

Most speakers Wednesday night agreed the towns should restrict development and work to preserve water quality. But they had different visions of how the lake should be used.

Mr. Oldenburg said Lake Davidson is just 1 percent the size of Lake Norman. His group wants the towns to reserve the lake for swimming, kayaking, canoeing and other passive activities.

Another speaker, Chuck Renwick, told of a recent incident in which his small boat was nearly run down by a speeding ski boat. (Update: Mr. Akin offered a written response to Mr. Renwick on Sept. 23. Download below.)

Water-skiers and owners of boats with large motors argued last night that their activities are safe. They said it’s development – not their boats – that causes most pollution in the small lake.

John Akin of Davidson is a leader of Please@LKD, and a boater and water skier. “There’s no factual proof that motorized boats harm the Lake Davidson environment now or ever. Let’s focus on the most pressing issues in Lake Davidson: overdevelopment and density in the watershed area,” he said.

Becky Fox of Mooresville, a retired professional water skier, suggested that the towns consider turning the lake into a dedicated water park, which could be used for a variety of uses, including water-skiers and others.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Jane Shoemaker of Mooresville, who once lived at Spinnaker Cove on Lake Davidson, told committee members they should not be afraid to impose restrictions on the lake. Other communities have done it, she said. In one case, a town adopted alternate-day uses as a way of continuing to allow power boats and water skiers.

“There’s ample precedent,” Ms. Shoemaker said. She also noted that Mooresville already restricts certain public spaces to specific groups: the golf course for golfers, or a new skate park for skaters.

Davidson Mayor John Woods said after the meeting safety and environmental concerns will only grow as development continues. He thinks now is the time to discuss preserving the small lake for limited uses. “It creates an unusual opportunity to create a really unique water feature facility for limited and very special uses,” Mayor Woods said.

Frank Rader, a Mooresville commissioner who sits on the working committee, seemed more reticent about changing the rules. He said residents have been able to use high-powered boats since the lake was formed 45 years ago.

“The question for those who have been listening, as well as those who have been speaking, is: Is the preponderance of evidence sufficient to change the use for the next 45 years?” Mr. Rader said.

The working committee hopes to make a formal recommendation to the two town boards by year’s end.

DOCUMENTS AND LINKS

Aug. 14, 2008, Letter from Lake Norman Marine Commission to Town of Davidson, (PDF) CLICK HERE>

Text of presentation by Friends of Lake Davidson, (PDF) CLICK HERE>

Presentation by PLEASE@LKD (large PDF file, may take a while to download), CLICK HERE>

Text of remarks by Chuck Renwick at the meeting, describing what he called “a near tragedy on Lake Davidson. (PDF), CLICK HERE>

Sept. 23, 2008, response of John Akin to remarks by Chuck Renwick, CLICK HERE>

Sept. 3, 2008, DavidsonNews.net, a preview of the meeting, “Foes, backers of Lake Davidson rules line up to speak.”

Sept. 15 update: Additional presentations, official meeting notes and other information are available on the Davidson town website Lake Davidson page, CLICK HERE>

Filed under: Davidson town board, Environment, Living with Growth, Mooresville, Public safety