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Show APRIL 27,2006 THE GARFIELD COUNTY INSIDER BOULDER TOWN PETITION PROMOTED AGAINST ATV TOURISM Submitted by Curtis Oberhansly A Boulder Town petition having to do with the County Trails Committee and ATVs — reproduced below — was originated on Friday, April 7th, 2006 and by Sunday, April 9th, 2006 it had over 100 signers in less than 48 hours. It also elicited a very large response via e-mail to Cydne Quitter who receives comment on behalf of the Trails Committee. The petition was presented to the Garfield County Commission at 11:00 AM on Monday, April 10,2006. The Boulder Town representatives for this issue, Tim Clarke, Boulder Town Councilman, and Curtis Oberhansly, Planning Coordinator for the Boulder Town Planning Commission, felt that they received a good and fair hearing with the Commissioners followed by private discussions with the County Engineer, Brian Bremner, Cydne Quitter, Bruce Fullmer. On the following Thursday, April 13, 2006, the contents of the petition were discussed at the Boulder Town Planning Commission at its regular meeting. After full discussion and participation by members of tbe public, the Planning Commission passed a resolution adopting the Petition in full. Further information and press inquiries are handled by Tim Clarke 435-335-7305, and Lisa Vargas 435-3357565. The petition appears in full as follows: PETITION ' To Garfield County Commission: The signers below are residents and/or property owners in Garfield County in and around Boulder, Utah. We respectfully ask the County Commission to reconsider their plan to include Boulder as a part of the county wide promotional effort attracting groups of ATV users all across the United States. The position of the signers is generally as follows: • We are not disparaging ATV users and their rights to use them. • Similarly, we support therightsof other communities in Garfield County willing to promote and host these groups, clubs and events. • What we are saying by signing the petition is that the County should respect the rights of Boulder as a community to have a different vision and economic plan. We, the signers, feel that the cost is too high and the rewards are too low for a small community like Boulder. A few businesses may benefit, but the population will not, the area will not, our lifestyle and values;for peace and quiet will not. The Boulder Town General Plan Vision Statement written in the 1980's states as follows: . • 5-1 Vision Statement "The primary objectives of the community are (1) to preserve the ranching and farming heritage business of the area and the rural spirit of Boulder and (2) to preserve the open space, clean air, and quiet country-style atmosphere that our families have enjoyed for over 100 years. In addition to these primary objectives, Boulder desires to remain economically sound by promoting commercial and cottage industry growth on a small scale." There is nothing peaceful, quiet or small scale about the ATV Jamborees, club events and seasonal uses that follow these promotions. Many of us are familiar with the experience of other communities who have promoted ATV and snowmobile recreation to clubs and groups across the USA. This activity feeds on itself until it completely redefines the local environment. There are many forms of tourism we should and do promote that are just as or even more economically viable than this promotion, and which are more conducive to the quiet enjoyment of the area. We know that once the motorized activity becomes large scale, it tends to exclude or drive out other forms of tourism. There are plenty of other opportunities in the County for this activity. If the Commission represents us all, then it is an easy and considerate matter to allow any community not wishing to host these machines to opt out of your promotion and focus only on the communities that welcome them. The bottom line for Boulder is that the impacts are simply too great. We prefer to focus on the tourists who value a recreational experience free from the noise, congestion and confusion that accompanies the ATV Jamborees and/or becoming a generalized destination for those activities. And since a major segment of the tourist market will agree with our business plan, it can and will be a win-win for us and the other communities wishing to divide the tourism market along these lines. Respectfully submitted: /S/ 130 residents and property owners of the Boulder Community Page 10 ; FISHING AT PANGUITCH LAKE WILL CLOSE MAY 1 A treatment to remove Utah chubs and improve fishing at Panguitch Lake will begin May 1. Panguitch Lake and its tributaries wilJ be treated with rotenone beginning that day. Until then, the daily bag and possession limit remains at eight trout of any species or size. The limits have been liberalized to allow anglers to harvest trout that will otherwise l?e lost when the treatment occurs. Typically, fishing at Panguitch Lake is very good when the ice melts from the reservoir's surface. The ice is expected to melt during the week of April 17. Once the treatment occurs on May 1, Panguitch Lake will be closed tofishing and the possession of fish until the lake is restocked, which is expected to happen during the first week of June 2006. All of the lake's fish will be removed during the treatment, including trout. The lake will be restocked with trout as soon as possible after the treatment. The regulations listed in the 2006 Utah Fishing Proclamation will be in effect after the lake reopens to fishing. Utah chubs affect fishery Located southwest of Panguitch in the Dixie National Forest, Panguitch Lake is one of Utah's most popularfishingwaters. Every year, thousands of anglersflockto its shores to try their luck at catching a limit of trout from its chilly, high mountain depths. Nearly 60 percent of the anglers that fish Panguitch Lake are from out of state, mostly from Nevada. Utah chubs are native to the Great Basin area, but not to Panguitch Lake. Division of Wildlife Resourcesfisheriesbiologists believe chubs were illegally introduced to the lake in the late 1970s. Utah chubs are very competitive fish and will displace trout in the lake over time. Today the trout population is less than Five percent of the total fish in the lake. The remainder of the fish in the lake are Utah chubs. "This is not the first time that this has happened," said Mike Ottenbacher, Southern Region aquatic manager for the DWR. "We had the same problem in the late 1980s and early 1990s, which resulted in a rotenone treatment of the lake." Rotenone is a natural plant product that completely bio-degrades in the environment. Rotenone has been approved for aquatic use by the Environmental Protection Agency. At the concentrations used to kill fish, rotenone is not toxic to humans, other mammals or birds. After the 1991 treatment, the lake was restocked, and it became a great fishery again. "Panguitch has always been a very productive lake when it comes to fish growth," Ottenbacher said. "Fish planted at seven or eight inches can grow to be nearly twice that size in a single growing season." The restoration of Panguitch Lake will be conducted according to a plan developed by a citizen's committee. After the plan was developed, it was approved in a public meeting by the Southern Regional Advisory Council and was later endorsed by the Utah Wildlife Board. Meeting the challenge "This is a big challenge for us," said Doug Messerly, Southern Region supervisor for the DWR. 'There are so many considerations that have to be taken into account in the management of this lake. "First of all, because of the size of the lake, it will be costly," he said. "Nearly $250,000 has been budgeted for the purchase and application of the rotenone. It's expensive, and.as you might imagine, requires special handling.. "Secondly, once the fish are gone, so is the fishing. The businesses around the lake are dependant on good fishing through the summer months. Without fish, they have a very difficult time financially. We feel like our plan addresses most of the concerns and, if all goes well, everyone will come out of this reaping the benefits of an excellent and sustainable fishery for some time to come." Treating the lake The plan calls for the rotenone treatment to take place beginning May 1. It will take about three days to apply the rotenone. The lake will not be restocked until the rotenone naturally dissipates, which is expected to take about 30 days. Then the lake will be restocked with eight- to 10-inch trout and reopened to fishing as soon as possible. A few trout of larger size may also be put back in the lake to increase the excitement level among anglers. "We have to treat all the springs and tributaries to the lake as well to assure that we get all of the chubs out," Messerly said. "Normally, we would close the lake to fishing for several months, plant small fish and allow them to grow for the next season. In this case, we are confident that we can have a complete treatment and are going to plant catchable size (8- to 10-inch) trout in order to get greatfishingback as quickly as possible." . For more information, call the DWR's Southern Region office at (435) 865-6100. |