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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2007 * THENEWSTRIBUNE.COM/NEWS/LOCAL * SECTION B

Higher cost for nonresidents on Lake Tapps expected to raise revenue.

Boat access to Lake Tapps in Bonney Lake likely will cost more for nonresidents. A higher fee and an automated system are in the works.

By Mike Archbold The News Tribune

By Memorial Day, the boat ramp at Allan Yorke Park on Lake Tapps in Bonney Lake will have an automated launch system and a higher fee.

The City Council is expected next week to adopt a launch fee for nonresidents of $20, up from $12.

At the only other boat launch on the lake, Pierce County charges $10 to launch and $7 to park at North Lake Tapps Park. An attendant takes the fees.

Gary Leaf, Bonney Lake's community services director, and the city is still considering the details but probably will set a $10 fee to put a boat in the water and $10 to take it back out.

City residents still will be able to buy an annual pass for $25 but that won't buy them unlimited use. Leaf said the Council is considering a set number of launches for those passes, perhaps 40.

The system calls for hydraulic metal posts that will go up and down after boaters pay a fee at a kiosk by credit card, debit card or pass. No cash will be exchanged. The posts will be placed at water's edge in the two launch lanes.

Boaters will be told to first stage their vehicle and trailer in front of the posts and then pay the fee. The barriers will drop once the fee is paid and then rise again automatically after the trailer leaves the water.

Leaf said the system is similar to one used on Lake Washington in Kirkland for the past 10 years.

The Bonney Lake City Council is expected to award the contract for the $80,000 plus system at its Feb. 13 meeting to the low bidder, Netversant, a Bonney Lake-based security firm.

Leaf said the automated system will replace the summer attendant and capture boaters who used to come in the morning or evening when the attendant was gone. Sometimes the attendant, usually a teenager hired for the summer, missed work and boaters launched for free.

The city felt it was losing money, Leaf said. In 2006, it collected $32,200 on about 1,500 launches. The revenue has its own line item in the city's parks budget.

"My assumption is the revenues will be higher," he said.

Leaf estimated that 80 percent of the boaters are nonresidents.

On busy days, he said the city still might put an attendant at the ramp to keep the launch area orderly. There is little parking at the park itself and boaters end up leaving their rigs along streets in the area. Leaf said there is a small launch waiting area reserved along Bonney Lake Boulevard.

Leaf said nonresident boaters will be able to buy a single pass for $20 or an annual pass at City Hall. An annual pass with 20 launches would cost $400, he said.

Mike Archbold: 253-597-8692 mike.archbold@thenewstribue.com

What do you think this will do to our fishing access. All the Jet sleese will be taking up our trailer parking space at the county park.
Just had a brain thart. Does anyone out there live in one of the areas that has a private launch. I and many other fishermen would be willing to pay a reasonable fee to have a place to launch our boats and park our rigs. ANY TAKERS
Bill