World Class Beach Proposed

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  February 12, 2001. Mayor John Spuhler wants to have a “world class” beach.  He has been working with State Sovereign lands for four  years on the Planning Implementation and Review Group (PIRG).   It is made up of business, State Parks, DNR, law enforcement, special interest groups, Corps of Engineers and other agencies.

Ray Elliott ,who also serves on that committee, said the PIRG comprehensive management plan looks at wildlife areas, spawning beds, wetlands  and public recreation areas among many things.  A copy of that CMP is on the City website. 

Old timers remember dry sandy beaches.  But over the years ditches have been degraded or destroyed leading to boggy beaches.  Garden City has spent a lot of money opening up historic ditches and drainages this year.  They have identified 60 ditches from 200 N to Shoreline Estates.  The goal is to create good beaches. Opening the ditches will help water flow to lake which will keep the beaches drier.

Spuhler said, “We are trying to get back to the original beach.  With this permit we can disc the beach and maintain the beach and drain them with the historic ditches.  We will eliminate deer flies. The Garden City Beach Maintenance Project will restore the natural order of the lake bed.  Garden City will have an “adopt a ditch program” and use the many youth groups who look for service projects at the lake and local residents who like to be involved to keep the ditches maintained. 

Utah Senator Jenkins is putting together  a resolution to designate the land from Gus Rich Point to Rendevous Beach prime recreation zones with parking areas and maintained beach with toilets.  Better access is part of the Comprehensive Management Plan.  

An extra marina is critical to our area.  Spuhler asked, “what if Garden City came up with a private solution?  Senator Jenkins said it would be fine. So Spuhler is looking building a privately owned marina where the slips and concessions are purchased and have yearly maintenance fees.  There is a waiting list of 200 people who wish to have slips.

Bear Lake Water Adventures owner, Lance Bourne, said last year was a great year.  Paddle boards are getting to be very popular and BLWA prices are low so it is affordable to locals.   Council members asked if quagga mussels are a concern for boards that are brought into the Lake.  The new house bill has eliminated the need to be checked.  Bourne said that it might be a danger. 

The traffic at the park is increasing.  People don’t know about the boardwalk to the beach exists said  Bourne and perhaps more information is needed.  He said “we are a green business”  we carry the boards to the beach and don't use OHV. 

Spuhler said, "we might want to close this section to motor business if this new beach bill passes because it might be dangerous for OHV to be crossing where the people are carrying boards."

The City Council passed Ordinance 15-12, a seasonal ordinance  which establishes motorized vehicle use.  The restrictions will apply to public access streets less than 24 feet.  Many of the roads to the beach are 16 feet wide and were not engineered correctly and a lot of traffic on this road is dangerous.  This includes city streets, unpaved roads,rights of way and contractor installed subdivision streets and roads.  It does not  include State of Utah roads or Rich County roads.

The Garden City governing body will determine restriction on those City streets based on one or more of the following: threat to public health and safety, pedestrian traffic load, environmental health, ecological preservation, nesting or spawning areas. 

On restricted streets motorized vehicle accesses will be limited to property owners or renters and their guests.  Handicapped access will be allowed.  Roads with width greater than 24 feet may have seasonal restrictions if requested by an HOA within city limits or residents and must be approved by the Garden City Council.

Parking on roads less than 24 feet wide is prohibited.   There will be a fine of $100 for infractions.  The city free shuttle service which comes from the parking lots will drop of people to walk on those roads to access the beach, and cars or OHV can go in at 150 S.   Ray Elliot said that people try to go down these roads with boats and can’t turn, then some people park on that road blocking any emergency vehicles to the lakeside cabins.  If someone comes the other way and there is a line of cars or OHV there can be an impassable traffic jam.  One citizen said that the small accesses need to be foot traffic only as he has seen many accidents over the years.  This is seasonal and will be posted at the designated roads.  Spuhler said they want to create a transportation plan to encourage people to be downtown.