LakeSarah.com

Lake Sarah entire lake no-wake zone restriction was lifted on Sunday June 5, 2011. While Lake Sarah’s water levels remain high, the all-lake no-wake zone has been recinded as of 6/5. Fred Lang’s gauge reading (East bay) this morning registered 981.08, just below the 981.1 no-wake level.  As there still are some residents with flooded shorelines, please be considerate when boating by staying at least 200ft from shore while operating at high speeds. Your lake neighbors thank you for your understanding and courtesy.

Summary of the Lake Sarah No-wake ordinance.

During periods of unusually high water, all watercraft and aircraft operating on Lake Sarah will be required to observe minimum wake rules over the entire lake. The ordinance becomes effective when the water level exceeds 981.10 feet above sea level at the MNDNR gauge for a period of 3 consecutive days. The ordinance will remain in effect until the water level recedes below the 981.10 threshold. The Hennepin County Sheriff 's department has primary responsibility to provide enforcement of the ordinance but enforcement by other licensed peace officers is not precluded. (Summary written by Brad Spencer)

The Ordinances establishing slow no-wake zones on Lake Sarah defer to MN State Statues 96B.005 for definition which reads as follows;   86B.005 Definitions Subd. 16a. Slow-no wake.  "Slow-no wake" means operation of a watercraft at the slowest possible speed necessary to maintain steerage, but in no case greater than five miles per hour. see MN Statutes.

LAKE SARAH NO-WAKE ZONE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

Establishing the No-Wake Zone

The lake level is required to be above 981.1 feet for three consecutive days. At the time that level has been established from the readings supplied by Fred Lang and/or Cindy Keating, the cities of Greenfield and Independence shall both declare the No-Wake Zone. The Greenfield City Administrator shall be responsible for contacting the Water Patrol, Lake Sarah Improvement Association (LSIA) President and the Lake Sarah website that the no-wake zone is in effect. The LSIA President or one designee shall then be responsible for posting the signs at the public landing. In the absence of the Greenfield City Administrator, the Independence City Administrator shall be responsible for contacting the three agencies. Each City shall also post the no-wake zone at City Hall the nearest regular business hour and publish it in the paper in the nearest publication. If the no-wake level should happen at a time that is after the regular business hours of both City Halls, we hereby designate Cindy Keating to declare the no-wake zone under the above-listed circumstances. At no time shall the no-wake ordinance be put into effect until it has met the criteria of three consecutive days at a level above 981.1 feet.

Establishing the Wake-Free Zone

When the lake level has receded below 981.1 feet by the readings supplied by Fred Lang and/or Cindy Keating, cities of Greenfield and Independence shall declare the No-Wake Zone off of the lake. The Independence City Administrator shall be responsible for contacting the Water Patrol, the President of the LSIA and the Lake Sarah website that the lake is now wake free. The LSIA President or one designee shall be responsible for removing the no-wake signs at the public landing. In the absence of the Independence City Administrator, the Greenfield City Administrator shall be responsible for contacting the two agencies. Each city shall remove the no-wake posting at the City Halls the nearest regular business hour and publish it in the paper in the nearest publication. If the no-wake level recedes below 981.1 feet after regular City Hall hours, we hereby designate Cindy Keating to declare the no-wake zone off the lake according to the readings from Fred Lang and/or Cindy Keating. Please note there is no three-day waiting period for the no-wake zone to go off the lake. At no time shall the no-wake zone be taken off untill the level recedes 981.1 feet.

It is each City's intent to have only one contact person regarding the no-wake zone. In the absence of that person, a designee shall be appointed by that person.

The above procedure was transcribed from the letter dated July 29, 2003 from the city administrators of Independence and Greenfield that was subsequently mailed to Lake Sarah residents and was received on or about 8/1/03. It was typed as orginally presented, I apologize for any errors that may have been overlooked in proofreading my transcription. (Brad Spencer - 8/1/03). Amended 4/25/11 to change water level monitor Ed Penney to Fred Lang.

The City of Greenfield ordinance #O-13A-02 mirrors that of the City of Independence. A copy of each ordinance is available from the city administrator of the respective city. (Currently Greenfield Code of ordinances: Chapter 95, Title IX, subd. 95.01-95.99)

Independence Ordinance (amended)

                             City of Independence, Hennepin County

Ordinance #2002-09

Section 1 (Independence city code 915.05.).  Slow no-wake zone on Lake Sarah.

     Subd. 1. No Wake in Channel. No person shall operate a watercraft, including aircraft, in excess of slow no-wake speed in the channel separating the northerly and southerly halves of Lake Sarah as delineated by markers, buoys, or other aids to navigation placed by the city.

     Subd. 2. No Wake at High Water Level. Whenever the waters of Lake Sarah reach or exceed 981.1 feet above sea level, for a period of three consecutive days or more, as measured by the water level gauge set by the State Department of Natural Resources on Lake Sarah, the city administrator or designee may, at their discretion, upon notifying the Hennepin County Sheriff, establish a slow no-wake zone on those portions of the lake within the city. The no-wake restriction shall become effective upon a date specified by the city administrator and shall remain in effect until the water level for the lake has receded below 981.1 feet above sea level. Both of the implementation and removal of these restrictions must be done in coordination with similiar actions by the city of Greenfield. The city administrator or designee shall notify the public of both the implementation and removal of the no-wake restriction by publishing a notice in the official newspaper, posting the restriction at all public lake access points prior to and during the time the restriction is in place, and posting the restriction at city hall, and by such other means as the administrator determines to be reasonable.

     Subd. 3. No Wake Regulation. No person shall operate a watercraft, including aircraft, in excess of slow no-wake speed 24 hours per day when the high water slow-no wake restrictions in Subd. 2 are in effect. Such restrictions shall become effective upon publication in a local daily newspaper as a news item or on a specified date, whichever is later.

This transcription may contain errors and is provided by this website for the convenience of our visitors, please refer to the actual city ordinances for exact legal language.

Additional details from Independence City Code section 915 - Regulation of Lake Sarah Surface Use.

915.07. Notification. The city is responsible for providing adequate notification to the public, which shall include placement of a sign at each public watercraft access outlining essential elements of this section, as well as the placement of neccessary buoys and signs.

915.09. Exemption. Enforcement, resource management and emergency personnel, while in the performance of their official duties, are exempt from the provosions of subsection 915.05.

915.11. Penalties. Any person violating this section, upon conviction, is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a maximum fine or a maximum period of imprisonment, or both , as specified by Minnesota Statutes, section 609.03.

915.13. Enforcement. The Hennepin County sheriffs department and special deputies appointed and sworn by the sheriff have primary responsibility for enforcing the provisions of this section, but that does not preclude enforcement by other licensed peace officers.

This transcription may contain errors and is provided by this website for the convenience of our visitors, please refer to the actual city ordinances for exact legal language.