Water skier on Lake Davidson. A working committee from Davidson and Mooresville is studying rules that could ban large boats on the tiny lake. (Bill Giduz photo)

The Lake Davidson Working Committee, a two-town committee studying possible new rules affecting boating, water skiing and development on Lake Davidson, will meet again Tuesday, Aug. 5, at 9 a.m. at Davidson Town Hall. The committee is part of an effort by Davidson and Mooresville officials address water quality and safety on the lake amid rapid development.

Opponents of new rules are organizing a silent protest for Tuesday’s meeting, and plan to turn out in white shirts and sunglasses. John Aiken, a spokesman for the group PLEASE@LKD said he’s not sure how many people will attend. Meanwhile, citizens on the other side of the issue, who support restrictions on boat sizes and new development rules, are also organizing and making their opinions known.

Public comments will not be allowed at Tuesday’s meeting. The towns will seek comments at a public hearing Sept. 3, 7 p.m., at Mooresville Citizens Center.

The Davidson Lands Conservancy said in a new position statement last week that it favors limiting boats to canoes, kayaks, sailboats and others powered only by electric motors. And a group called Friends of Lake Davidson is also organizing support for the towns’ proposed restrictions, saying, “Lake Davidson is only 1% the size of Lake Norman. We believe this small and fragile lake should be preserved for canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, sailboats and boats with motors under 10 (horsepower).”

The two-town working committee has been meeting this summer to to study laws and issues related to the lake and consider a possible interlocal agreement that would govern the lake. Right now, Davidson has tougher rules, including zoning rules that restrict the size of boats that can be docked in town limits to less than 10 horsepower. But the town has not enforced those rules. Davidson would like Mooresville to adopt similar restrictions.

QUESTIONS ABOUT RULES, OPEN MEETINGS

Mr. Aiken and others in the PLEASE@LKD group have questioned whether Davidson and Mooresville have the right to regulate boating. They’d like to keep their larger boats and continue to be allowed to use a water-skiing slalom course on the lake. A flier distributed by the group last week warned residents of neighborhoods around their lake that new rules could hurt property values.

Mr. Aiken and others have emailed town officials and raised questions about whether the town has followed open meetings laws in organizing the Lake Davidson Working Committee. They’ve pointed, among other things, to the committee’s initial meeting on July 8.

Davidson officials said the town has adhered to the law. In a response to opponents’ questions, Davidson Assistant Town Manager Dawn Blobaum noted that the committee includes two members each from both the Mooresville and Davidson town boards. The open meetings law says official meetings of a majority from a town board must be open. Both towns have five-person boards, so two members represent a minority. Since the working committee does not include a majority of either board, it is technically not subject to the law, she said.

Town officials have also supplied a recent water quality study of Lake Norman.

Agenda
Lake Davidson Working Committee Meeting
August 5, 2008

I. Welcome
Margo Williams, Chair

II. Reports on Action Items

III. Specifics of September 3rd meeting:
length of time for speakers
when/where/how do speakers sign up

II. Establish goals, on-going process, and timeline

V. Action Items

VII. Adjourn

LINKS AND DOCUMENTS

July 25, 2008, DavidsonNews.net, “Towns working on shared vision for Lake Davidson.”

Aug. 3, 2008, Charlotte Observer, “Lake Davidson skiing could be wiped out.”

Town of Davidson website, “Lake Davidson Facts & Information”

Davidson Lands Conservancy position statement

Town of Davidson response to questions from PLEASE@LKD

PLEASE@LKLD flier distributed in Lake Davidson area neighborhoods

2007 Lake Norman water quality study.

Position paper from Friends of Lake Davidson. The group also has been distributing this flier.

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