Additional public boat launching sites were approved for Clark Township Thursday, July 15, which the township board hopes will ease the burden of having the Cedarville site closed during channel dredging this summer. Making minor adjustments to recommendations made by the township's planning commission, the board approved up to $3,000 for fill, paving, brushing, and signs at six locations. The board voted 3-1 in favor of the recommendations, with treasurer Katie Carpenter the lone vote of dissent. Trustee Gary Wellnitz was not in attendance.

The Clark Township Planning Commission had been asked to look at six of 18 public access sites at road-ends and to recommend whether any could be developed as boat launch sites, prompted, in part, by summer closing of the Cedarville public launch ramp. The sites examined include Lakeside Landing, South Hill Island, Woodland Park, Lake Avenue, Islington Road A, and Hessel Beach.

Planning commissioners reached a consensus at their July 13 meeting, examining the areas case by case and submitting recommendations as a whole.

At the Lakeside Landing site, the commission agreed not much needs to be done, other than posting of signs, light grading, and the addition of more gravel.

The South Hill Island access site has a submerged cable in the southeast corner that the planning commission recommended covering with nearby boulders. If that is done, commissioners said that this site could be a prime access point, solving the majority of east-end boat traffic concerns. They recommended seeking funds for major access improvements in the future, although recommendations for this year are limited solely to adding new gravel and some light grading.

Planning Commissioner Vaughn Rye had some reservations about this site.

“I don't think it's the greatest access in the world. It's narrow and it's the end of the road,” Mr. Rye said. “I get a bad vibe from it. As it is right now, without widening, I don't like it.”

Since the Woodland Park access is already paved and already has a sign, the approved recommendation is to strengthen the asphalt, in addition to grading and brushing of the west side.

Also, owing to the Cedarville launch ramp being tied up for the duration of the summer, the four-foot-wide skid pier at that location will be moved to Woodland Park on a temporary basis, prompting concerns from nearby residents.

Diane Patrick said she worries about the addition of the skid pier turning this site into an official launch ramp, which would create parking and traffic safety issues on a dead-end road.

“I think it's a mistake to put docks down there,” she said. “There's not enough room, first of all.”

The planning commission shared some of Mrs. Patrick's concerns.

“We certainly don't want Woodland Park to become a mass area where we suddenly have tons of people there,” said Mr. Wellnitz, who serves as the liaison between the township board and the planning commission. “We need to spread the boat traffic out.”

An access at Hessel Point, near the Catholic church, was a source of disagreement between the planning commission and the township board as to whether this site may offer an ideal location for commercial launching in the future. Several members of the planning commission said that this site wouldn't work and suggested adding picnic tables and sand instead in efforts to remind the public that this is an area designated for public use.

“I certainly understand the need for commercial, but I don't think that's the right spot for it,” said planning commission chair Steve Honnila.

The township board, however, thought this was an ideal spot for that purpose, but agreed to the planning commission's immediate recommendations, with the exception of adding sand.

Mrs. Carpenter said adding sand to this area, where no swimming is to take place, would send the wrong message, especially since Hessel Beach, the designated swimming area, could benefit from additional sand.

At the Hessel Beach access site, the approved recommendation was to remove the fence, add picnic tables, and permit this as a launch for non-motorized watercraft only.

The recommendation for the Islington Road A site was that nothing be done, owing to its small size.

Signs will be placed across the sites, informing boaters that they launch at their own risk. Markers will also specify which sites are not to be used for motorized watercraft. Since parking will be an issue, potential boaters will be restricted from overnight parking at these sites.

Mrs. Carpenter voted no to the recommendations because she wants more research about options for enforcing parking rules, while the supporters of the motion felt it was a step that had been delayed too long already.

While recommendations were examined for only six sites, planning commissioner Bob Dunn said examining all 18 sites, and opening up as many as possible, will spread the boat traffic out.

“The general feeling, from what I hear from the public, has been don't burden Woodland Park and don't burden Lakeside Landing. Instead, open all 18 sites up and spread the load, and specify on some of them: kayaks and canoes only, no commercial. These need to be open for the people. They need to be brushed and lightly graded.”

Planning commissioner Joe Eger suggested adding a fishing dock to at least one of these sites, and pointed out the state is pushing for more handicap-accessible fishing areas, and grants are available for the purpose.