County Commissioners Approve Noise Ordinance and Vessel Exclusion Zones and Designated Swim Areas on Lake Winterset, Clinch, and Ariana
by James Coulter
Loud, throbbing music that rattles house windows. Indecent exposure and language from rowdy, drunken boaters. And garbage that litters the shore of private homeowners.
These are some of the nuisances commonly experienced on Lake Winterset, Clinch, and Ariana. And it is these nuisances that newly-adopted vessel exclusion zones, designated swim areas, and a noise ordinance are expected to mitigate.
At their regular meeting on Tues. Sept. 2, Polk County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve two ordinances.
One ordinance creates vessel exclusion zones (which would likewise function as designated swim areas) for Lake Winterset, Clinch, and Ariana.
“As waterway usage increases, conflicts between motorized vessel traffic and vulnerable users like swimmers and bathers present a growing safety concern,” the agenda item stated. “This action will physically separate vessel traffic from swimming activities, mitigating risks and protecting the public health, safety, and general welfare of persons using these waterways.”
The other ordinance repeals and replaces the county’s existing noise ordinance “to provide an updated framework for effectively protecting the public health, safety, general welfare, and the reasonable peace and quiet of Polk County residents.”
“As Polk County’s population continues to grow, residents have faced significant challenges related to noise disturbances,” the agenda item stated. “The County’s existing noise regulations…are insufficient for addressing the types of noise issues currently being faced by our residents.”
Several residents who live along the lakes spoke during public comments to voice their support of the ordinances and their concerns about the problems these ordinances seek to mitigate.
Many residents mentioned how boaters would often litter, act rowdy and indecently, and even become drunk and intoxicated. Many also complained how the music from boats would be played loudly enough not only to be heard inside houses, but also to rattle windows.
“We had to buy noise-canceling headphones. We are listening with the windows closed and air conditioning on, and we can still hear it and feel it,” said resident Linda Phillips.
“We have asked these boaters nicely to turn their music down, and when they leave, they come back with larger speakers pointing them at us in defiance,” said one resident, Doreen Northstrom. “It boggles my mind that we even have to get to this point because of the lack of respect and morals.”
Another resident, Candace Romando, mentioned a recent incident where one person on a boat had his head smashed with a beer bottle and retaliated by drawing a gun. She brought along a petition of 120 signatures in support of the proposed ordinance.
Several other residents attempted to play video and audio recordings of the rowdy, indecent behavior often exhibited on the lakes, only for their microphones to be silenced.
“We have to deal with this on a daily basis,” Romando said.
Lake Winterset recently made headlines due to a fight that occurred there in early August. The incident led to eight arrests, including one minor, for charges such as rioting and fighting in public.
Addressing the incident during a press meeting, Sheriff Grady Judd stated, quite emphatically, that the “game is over” for people who engage in such unruly behavior on the lakes.
“It’s over, folks,” he said. “We will lock y’all up until you figure out that you can’t misbehave in the community, that you can’t fight, that you can’t knock people unconscious.”
