In response to its residents, the city created the Downtown- Waterfront Master Plan, with the goal of making the downtown Clermont area one of the nation’s top places to live and train. The Clermont Boat Ramp, completed in 2020, has become a popular place to launch to the Clermont chain. Victory Pointe, completed 2018, is a stormwater filtration system that also serves as an urban passive park, bringing event venues and business incentives. This year Clermont has been named 1 of 15 best Lake Towns in the United States (visit BEST LAKE TOWNS).
The Downtown-Waterfront Masterplan is working!
Now is the time that the Clermont City Council needs to realize that they have the obligation to address the problematic issues facing the downtown-waterfront area: water safety, waste disposal, parking, permits, code enforcement, law enforcement … all the issues that need to be addressed in a thriving, downtown community.
Currently, the increase of commercial boat and jet ski rentals and personal boating watercraft use at the Clermont boat ramp and the Clermont Chain of Lakes has created safety issues.
The city of Clermont staff has received weekly complaints regarding the hazardous conditions and the misuse of water vehicles are causing to other boaters, swimmers, docks and plant life along the shoreline of Lake Minneola and the chain of Lakes. Adding to the issue, the city has observed a growing number of commercial operators (5-10 commercial operators renting jet skis and wakeboard boats at the city’s boat ramp).
In order to alleviate these conditions, safety requirements have been put in place and will be enforced by the Clermont Police Department.
Included in the enforceable regulations:
Maneuvers which unreasonably or unnecessarily endanger life, limb, or property shall constitute reckless operation of a watercraft vehicle, which includes weaving through congested vehicle traffic, jumping the wake of another vessel or watercraft in a manner unnecessarily close to another vehicle, or when obstructed visibility around such other vehicle, and swerving at the last moment to avoid a collision.
NOTE: Under state law, a person must be at least 14 years of age to operate a personal watercraft. A second-degree misdemeanor will be charged for a person to knowingly allow a person under the age of fourteen to operate a personal watercraft (this includes jet skis).
Rental or leased watercraft must be registered in the name of the business. Commercial operators must keep a copy of their valid permit available at all times during which they perform business. Commercial operators shall immediately provide a business card, phone number, name, and address for such operations office, upon request from any City of Clermont personnel. The personal watercraft operations office must be located at a land-based site on property not owned by the City of Clermont.
Commercial watercraft businesses are only permitted to operate at the Clermont Boat Ramp to launch watercraft, retrieve watercraft, and perform related safety checks. Launching commercial watercraft or conducting any aspect of business, including without limitation safety checks and retrieval, are not allowed at any other City-owned location.
CONTACT THE CITY OF CLERMONT FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF SAFETY RULES AND REGULATIONS.
The Clermont City Council understood the need to equip the Clermont Police Department with the tools needed to safely and effectively enforce the city’s regulations and approved the request of the Clermont Police Department to purchase a Pathfinder 2300 HPS Boat and trailer to allow the Police Department to patrol the waters of Lake Minneola and the Clermont Chain of Lakes and enforce boating regulations that will provide for the safety of boaters and floaters.
The current year’s approved budget does not have funds budgeted for this purchase. A budget amendment to the Police Impact Fund in the amount of $80,000 was approved to cover the boat purchase in the amount of $58,586.62 along with the needed equipment to outfit the boat (lights, striping, siren, radio, computer stand, required associated safety equipment and Bimini top).
The Clermont Chain of Lakes is not owned by the City, but the city has the responsibility to protect boaters and floaters.
The Council’s approval of the purchase of a boat and trailer to allow the Police Department to patrol the waters of the Clermont Chain of Lakes and enforce boating regulations is needed and necessary.
The council approved the purchase of the boat 4-1. Councilmember Jim Purvis voting no.
