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Lake Clarke Shores to explore enforcement options after resident complaints about loud jet skis
Summary
Residents delivered a letter asking for action on loud, high-performance jet skis. Town staff said they will pursue enforcement tools — including noise measurement, working with the attorney and considering ordinance models used by other municipalities — but warned solutions may take time because many operators are not property owners.
Residents brought a letter and asked the council to address loud, un-muffled jet skis and personal watercraft operating on town waterways. They told the council the boats were disrupting neighborhoods and that prior informal outreach had not resolved the problem.
Town Manager Joe and police officials said staff has tried neighborhood outreach and will pursue next steps if the informal approach fails. "We're taking it very seriously," Joe said, and added staff might move to an enforcement phase if voluntary compliance does not continue.
Chief and other staff described available tools and constraints: the town can use noise meters, measure decibel levels, and pursue ordinance language some municipalities use for motorcycles and noisy engines; the town also reported contacting state agencies, which said they had limited authority. "We have some tools in the tool chest. We just haven't brought in Charlie yet," the town manager said, noting that the town attorney may advise on whether an enforceable local ordinance or alternative approach is the most effective path.
Enforcement challenges: staff noted a practical difficulty — many operators are not town property owners, making code enforcement tied to property owners more difficult. Councilors and staff discussed using marine or state enforcement where appropriate and pursuing an ordinance designed to allow ticketing of operators in the water.
Next steps: staff and the attorney will draft options and return to council with recommended enforceable measures; the town manager cautioned that developing legal and enforceable measures could take weeks to months. The council asked staff to keep complainants updated on progress.
