[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Fox Lake as § 12-1-6 of the 1997 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Parks and recreation — See Ch. 370.
A. 
For the protection of life and property through regulation of boat operation and water recreation activities on waters within the corporate boundaries of the City, the following enumerated sections of the Wisconsin Statutes, as from time to time amended, are adopted and made a part of this chapter by reference as if fully set forth herein:
(1) 
Section 30.50, Definitions.
(2) 
Section 30.51, Certificate of number and registration; requirements; exemptions.
(3) 
Section 30.52, Certificate of number and registration; application; certification and registration period; fees; issuance.
(4) 
Section 30.53, Certificate of origin; requirements; contents.
(5) 
Section 30.54, Lost, stolen or mutilated certificates.
(6) 
Section 30.55, Notice of abandonment or destruction of boat or change of address.
(7) 
Section 30.60, Classification of motorboats.
(8) 
Section 30.61, Lighting equipment.
(9) 
Section 30.62, Other equipment.
(10) 
Section 30.64, Patrol boats.
(11) 
Section 30.65, Traffic rules.
(12) 
Section 30.66, Speed restrictions
(13) 
Section 30.675, Distress signal flag.
(14) 
Section 30.68, Prohibit operation.
(15) 
Section 30.69, Water skiing.
(16) 
Section 30.70, Skin diving.
(17) 
Section 30.71, Disposal of waste from boats equipped with toilets.
(18) 
Section 30.77, Local regulation of boating.
(19) 
Section 30.79, Local water safety patrols; state aids.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
The intent of this chapter is to provide safe and healthful conditions for the enjoyment of aquatic recreation consistent with public rights and interest and the capability of the water resource.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to the waters of Fox Lake within the jurisdiction of the City of Fox Lake. The provisions of this chapter shall be enforced concurrently by the police officers of the City of Fox Lake and the Township of Fox Lake.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
DESIGNATED ANCHORAGE
An area of water established and marked as an anchorage by lawful authority.
NAVIGATION LANE
An area designated by authorized aids to navigation.
PUBLIC ACCESS
Any access to the water by means of public property.
SHORE ZONE
All surface water within 200 feet of the shoreline.
SLOW-NO-WAKE
That speed at which a boat moves as slowly as possible while still maintaining steerage control.
SWIMMING ZONE
An authorized area of water established by regulatory markers to designate a swimming area.
In addition to the state boating and safety laws adopted in § 214-1, the following rules shall apply to the operation of boats on the waters of the City of Fox Lake:
A. 
No person shall operate a boat on the waters in the City of Fox Lake in a careless, negligent or reckless manner so as to endanger his or her life, property or person of another.
B. 
No person shall operate a motorboat repeatedly in a circuitous course around any other boat or around any person swimming if such circuitous course is within 200 feet of such boat or swimmer.
C. 
When two boats are approaching each other "head and head" or so nearly as to involve risk of collision, each boat shall bear to the right and pass the other boat on its left side.
D. 
When boats are approaching each other obliquely or at right angles, the boat approaching on the right has the right-of-way.
E. 
No person shall operate a motorboat so as to approach or pass another boat in such a manner as to create a hazardous wake or wash.
F. 
No person shall operate a powerboat within the restricted area of the shoreline marked by the restricted area marker buoy (200 feet) above a slow-no-wake speed.
G. 
The use of a siren on any motorboat is prohibited except on boats used on patrol duty.
H. 
Every boat propelled by an engine or motor shall be equipped with a muffler which is so constructed and kept in constant operation that it prevents excessive or unusual noise at all times while the engine is in operation. No motorboat shall be operated at any time with muffler or cut-out open on the waters of the City of Fox Lake, subject to exception as provided by the state statutes.
I. 
Searchlights may be used to furnish light in making a landing and only otherwise in case of imminent danger or emergency. Any operator of a motorboat or other person who shall repeatedly or continually cause the rays of a searchlight to rest upon the operator or occupant of another vessel or upon the shoreline shall be deemed guilty of a violation of this chapter.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
[Amended 12-21-2016; 5-7-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-4]
In addition to the safety laws adopted in § 214-1, the following safety rules shall apply in the waters of the City of Fox Lake:
A. 
No person or persons shall swim beyond 200 feet from shore unless accompanied by a manned boat.
B. 
No person in charge or control of a boat shall permit any person under 10 years of age on board without wearing a vest-type Coast Guard approved personal flotation device.
C. 
All rafts and stationary platforms of any kind anchored in the water, except docks and piers, shall be painted white and shall be so anchored that they will have at least six inches of freeboard above the water line.
D. 
No person shall operate a motorboat at speeds in excess of slow-no-wake while navigating through a channel. In those areas of the lake which are zoned, the speed in such zones shall be designated by markers and the operator of the motorboat shall obey such speed limits.
E. 
The use of aquaplanes, water skis or similar apparatus in conjunction with the operation of a motorboat will be permitted only as follows:
(1) 
On Fox Lake: between the hours of sunrise and sunset.
F. 
No person may anchor or permit a boat to be anchored within the restricted area around the aerators designated by the uniform waterway markers.
G. 
Any person who shall cause damage to any lake buoy shall be responsible to the Township for the cost of the necessary repairs and incidental expenses connected herewith.
H. 
No person shall use artificial wake enhancement equipment as provided herein.
(1) 
Applicability and enforcement. The provisions of this subsection shall apply to Fox Lake which has shoreline within the City of Fox Lake, Dodge County, Wisconsin. This subsection shall be enforced by all officers of the City of Fox Lake (located in Dodge County, Wisconsin) and all other individuals empowered to enforce ordinances in this City.
(2) 
Certain artificial wake enhancement prohibited.
(a) 
Prohibited equipment. No person may use or employ ballast tanks, water sacks or fins to cause a boat to operate in a bow-high manner, or which increases or enhances a boat's wake.
(b) 
Prohibited operation. No person may operate a boat in an artificially bow-high manner having the effect of increasing the boat's wake. Such prohibited operation shall include wake enhancement by use of ballast tanks, or ballast bags, or mechanical fins, or continuous operation at transition speed (the speed below planing speed in which a boat is operating in plowing mode).
(c) 
Certain operations excluded. In no event shall any of the following operations be deemed a violation of this subsection, provided such operations do not use or employ ballast tanks, water sacks or wake enhancing fins: i) water skiing, ii) tubing, iii) wake boarding employing a tow rope, iv) brief transition operation to empty a boat of water, or v) brief transition operation of a boat accelerating into a planing condition.
(3) 
Penalty.
(a) 
Wisconsin state boating penalties as found in § 30.80, Wis. Stats., and deposits established in the Uniform Deposit and Bail Schedule established by the Wisconsin Judicial Conferences, are hereby adopted by reference, except all references to fines are amended to forfeitures and all references to imprisonment are deleted.
(b) 
To the extent that the penalty for any violation of this subsection is not provided under Wisconsin state boating penalties as found in § 30.80, Wis. Stats., any person violating this subsection shall forfeit $500 for the first offense and shall forfeit $1,000 for the second offense within one year. Deposits established in the Wisconsin Circuit Court Fee, Forfeiture, Fine and Surcharge Tables shall also apply to any violation.
(4) 
Severability. Should any portion of this subsection or the affected Code section(s) be held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder shall not be affected.
(5) 
Effective date. Upon adoption, this subsection shall take effect the day after publication or posting.
A. 
Whenever applicable, Wisconsin state boating penalties as found in § 30.80, Wis. Stats., are hereby adopted by reference.
B. 
Where no state penalty is prescribed for those violations which are City ordinance violations, then the penalty shall be as prescribed in § 1-4 of this Code.
Whenever this chapter adopts state statutes by reference, such adoption shall include all future changes in state law, including sections amended and sections repealed. It is the intent of the municipality that, by adopting state laws by reference, the municipality intends that this chapter shall be consistent with and adopt all changes of state law and statutes.