Council tables decision on boat-launch fee increases and enforcement pending legal and operational follow-up

City staff recommended updating Pewaukee’s boat-launch fees and enforcement approach after the Wisconsin DNR adjusted what local governments may charge. The proposal included raising the single-launch fee up to the DNR maximum (cited in staff materials as $13), increasing seasonal-pass rates (the DNR framework allows a seasonal rate up to 10× the single-launch fee), adding a nonresident/nonresidential multiplier (DNR guidance references a nonresident/nonresidential multiplier up to 150%), and installing cameras and an online-payment system to automate enforcement.

Staff said recent cash collections at the launch have dropped and that an honor-box system has proven unreliable; staff recommended online payment and a license-plate‑reader camera to automatically match launches to paid permits and to assist with damage-recovery investigations. The council discussed enforcement practicality, limits on charging commercial operators a different rate (staff relayed DNR guidance that commercial and residential rates may not be differentiated), how to treat multi‑truck commercial operators, the seasonal‑permit structure (the transcript discussed a 10× cap on seasonal pass pricing), and whether to charge at smaller kayak/canoe launches that lack parking.

Council members expressed concern about raising the daily fee dramatically (examples in discussion included moving from $7 to $13 or higher) and asked staff to confirm legal constraints and operational details. The council voted to table the boat-launch fee proposals until staff returned with additional legal research and operational plans for automated enforcement and permit structures.