[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Crystal Lake 1-9-1996 by Ord. No. 3875. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fishing — See Ch. 258.
Water pollution — See Ch. 397.
[Amended 2-15-2005 by Ord. No. 5903; 3-20-2018 by Ord. No. 7450]
All designated watercraft which are operated on Crystal Lake shall display a current lake usage decal. Initial decal fees shall be $20 for paddleboats or similar watercraft that are powered by human power. All other watercraft shall be $30. The cost of replacement decals shall be $1. Replacement decals may be issued for boats purchased to replace a boat for which a decal has been issued. The future cost of said decal shall be determined annually as part of the budget process.
Portions of the lake shall be designated as wake areas and shall be defined as the portion of the lake lying within the confines of buoys. Buoys shall be placed at a depth of approximately eight feet of water, provided that the Patrol Coordinator or Patrol Agency may approve exceptions to the eight-foot depth to accommodate a smooth alignment of the buoys, but in no case shall buoys be located in less than five feet of water.
A. 
Wake hours shall be as follows:
Day
Wake Hours
Sunday and holidays
8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Monday
8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday
8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Thursday
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Friday
8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
B. 
"Holidays" shall mean Memorial Day Monday, Independence Day and Labor Day.
C. 
Wake/no-wake hours set forth in Subsection A herein shall be in effect only during the period of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, inclusive.
D. 
Suspension of wake hours.
[Added 8-23-2007 by Ord. No. 6245-A]
(1) 
Wake/no-wake hours shall be automatically suspended as soon and for as long as the water level of Crystal Lake is more than nine inches higher than the level of the spillway, as measured by the Patrol Agency. As soon as the Patrol Agency determines the water level has risen to more than nine inches over the level of the spillway, it shall:
(a) 
Immediately notify the City Council;
(b) 
Post signs at all private beaches and public entrances to Crystal Lake, which signs shall inform lake users of the immediate suspension of wake hours; and
(c) 
Post other such signage or take such other actions to inform the public as to the suspension of the wake hours as the City Council may request.
(2) 
Applicability. The provisions of this subsection shall not be applicable to the Patrol Agency.
No boat shall be operated on Crystal Lake at speeds in excess of 40 miles per hour at any time.
Jet skis and personal watercraft shall be subject to the same regulations as any other engine-powered watercraft, including requirements concerning the age of the operator, direction of travel, no-wake times, and appropriate safety practices.
All boats shall operate in conformance with the Boat Registration and Safety Act of the State of Illinois (625 ILCS 45/1-1 et seq.), which shall be and is hereby adopted by reference as the rules and regulations for the use of watercraft on Crystal Lake, in all respects not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter.
It shall be unlawful to swim or use recreational flotation devices (such as air mattresses) within the designated wake zones unless accompanied by a manned watercraft or a watercraft at anchor.
[Amended 2-20-2007 by Ord. No. 6161]
Parties interested in special shows, regattas, races, or special lake activities shall first obtain a temporary use permit from the Patrol Coordinator or Patrol Agency which shall not be unreasonably withheld. Patrol must be arranged for weekend special uses.
[Amended 3-3-2009 by Ord. No. 6448]
Any person, firm, or corporation violating any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction, be fined for each separate offense as set forth in Chapter 248, Fines.