Lake Tapps Management Plan Meeting: Public Safety, Water Levels Big Concern

On Thurs., Jan. 13, Lake Tapps enthusiasts, residents and local politicians gathered together to discuss issues surrounding the lake with its new owners, .

The community forum was hosted in the Lake Tapps Middle School auditorium and featured local leaders from partnering cities and the county, whose only duty was simple: listen.

“They have to sit and squirm,” said facilitator Penny Mabie. “It’s sort of like a big workshop here in this room.”

Cascade brainstormed ideas for a 2011 summer plan on all issues surrounding, in and on the lake, which they plan to bring back to the public for review on a final management plan in another forum on March 16.

Citizen comments ranged from public safety concerns from summer partiers, parking issues and water quality. When asked how many people in attendance lived on or around Lake Tapps, more than half of the room raised their hands. About 60 people attended the meeting.

Cascade shared the on issues surrounding the lake, which was fully completed by 330 people. A majority of respondents said water quality, lake levels, safety, boat speed and public access as the top five major points of concern, in that order.

Many said that people parking their cars illegally around the lake, especially around the lake dike by 190th and 9th in Lake Tapps. While reports of loud partying and public safety issues have gone down on the lake in the last couple of years,

Pierce County Sheriff Sergeant Roger Toles announced that lake patrol has lost 50 percent of its funding in 2011, meaning less lake patrol this upcoming summer. One less boat will patrol Lake Tapps and overtime patrol will be cut.

“Our resources are the same, but we don’t have the money to operate or do overtime,” said Toles.

Some suggestions were voiced, like a volunteer core of residents who could patrol the lake when police could not or unofficial water sampling to make sure the water quality is high. Residents toyed with the idea of making Lake Tapps ‘for-profit’ by charging for park and lake access.

Some complained about boat noise, others complained that city laws on lake noise were ‘draconian.’ Some argued that homeowners association members excluded non-members from participating in discussions on lake issues, others said more power should be given to residents to exert control over ‘their’ lake.

Some celebrated Cascade’s openness and desire to work with the public on lake issues, others raised concern over who would actually draft a plan to be presented at the next forum in March – would these concerns actually make the final cut?

In the end, Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy was the one to bring a sobering end to the conversation.

“There seem to be two perspectives here, those who recreate on the lake, and those who live on the lake. The county doesn’t have a deep pocket, so for those government entities who want this to be a win-win, there is no big solution,” said McCarthy. “It is a partnership. Pierce County can’t pick up a big chunk of the resources, these are tough times for all of us.”

The next Lake Tapps Management Plan community forum is scheduled for March 16, but no exact times or locations have been specified yet.