By Tom Mark

Airboat Operation On Swan Lake Facing Restrictions

Mar 29, 2018 | 10:27 AM

Close to a dozen people showed up at an RDNO public hearing Wednesday into an airboat and wind machine operation on Swan Lake.

Board Chair Bob Fleming says there’s concern that Canadian Airboats Limited isn’t suitable for for that area.

“Noise of airboats running on the lake. And some of the environmental concerns, whether it was appropriate to have that type of watercraft out on the lake given the nature of the lake and so on with its environmental aspects.”

Fleming says he thinks a lot of people would like to see the lake with minimal motorized usage.

He notes the regional district can’t regulate boating on the lake as it’s a senior government issue.

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“What people didn’t want to see for instance is airboats being rented and run on the lake. He doesn’t do that. He does rent airboats but they go to his clients wherever.”

The owner does use the lake for testing the boats once their built.

The regional district is considering a zoning text amendment because the business has grown beyond what it was intended when it began some 20 years ago.

Fleming says the regional district wants the owner to come into compliance on a range of things.

“Get him to, for instance, make sure his buildings meet code among other things, and that he is restricted to a certain amount of space on the property, that he screens the property properly.”

The owner is also going to have to satisfy environmental regulations with regard to riparian issues.

Among the stipulations going into a zoning text amendment will be that no rentals for local use would be allowed.

Hours of operation could also be changed to regulate when testing of the boats can take place.

The amendment still has to go through a third reading and adoption wants the owner comes back to show he’s in compliance.

by Tom Mark