Garden City’s council moved forward Monday with the second reading of Ordinance 10 58-25, a measure that would prohibit motorized watercraft on the Boise River within city jurisdiction.

City legal staff updated the council since the ordinance’s first reading and said the city has coordinated with Ada County and the Boise City Attorney’s Office to try to align rules across jurisdictions. The staff recommendation was to classify violations as an infraction punishable by a $100 fine plus court costs, rather than as a misdemeanor. The attorney explained that Idaho code already includes misdemeanor offenses covering reckless operation and damage to property, so the ordinance’s purpose is to prohibit the presence of motorized watercraft on the river rather than to duplicate existing misdemeanor statutes.

Councilors asked how enforcement would work if someone launched a motorized boat from a city park or if property damage occurred. The attorney said potential criminal classification depends on the facts and that property damage or reckless operation could trigger misdemeanor charges under existing Idaho law.

A council member raised a concern that the ordinance could affect homeowners associations that periodically launch motorized boats to maintain private ponds that are fed by the Boise River. Legal counsel responded that carve-outs in the draft ordinance exist for the Ada County sheriff, Garden City police, Boise police, local fire department, park system staff and certain state agencies, but that the ordinance as drafted does not include an HOA maintenance carve-out and that applicability depends on the code definition of the Boise River.

A council member moved to set the second reading and read the ordinance by title only; the motion was seconded and the clerk read a summary adopting a new chapter 21 addressing prohibited acts on the Boise River. The motion to read by title carried on a roll call. No final adoption vote was recorded in the transcript; the council concluded its agenda and adjourned.