Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
Swimming at Frostproof's popular Lake Clinch beach should be a bit safer if area boaters observe a new law requiring them to stay clear of designated zones on three Polk County lakes.
Swimmers often crowd the waters at Lake Clinch and other popular area swimming lakes. Keeping boats away should help keep them safe.
Polk County Board of County Commissioners have approved an ordinance repealing and reinstating the Polk County Waterway Protection Code. Concurrently with this ordinance, the board passed a resolution establishing vessel exclusion zones for designated swim areas in certain areas of Frostproof's Lake Clinch, as well as Lake Winterset in Winter Haven and Lake Ariana in Auburndale.
The new resolution creates vessel exclusion zones within these designated swim areas. It aims to improve public safety and reduce the risks for all who use the county's waterways by prohibiting motorized vessels, along with activities such as fishing, in these designated swim areas.
Polk County is home to approximately 550 lakes covering more than 93,000 acres. County officials take water safety seriously. Earlier this month, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd submitted a formal request to the board citing concerns about an increasing number of near-miss collisions, property damage from excessive wake, interference with non-motorized recreational users and unsafe proximity between boats and swimmers.
Individual swimmers may be difficult for boaters to spot, presenting a serious hazard when they approach too close to swimming areas. The new Polk County ordinance is intended to address the problem.
Commissioners unanimously approved the ordinance but said they would keep an eye on the situation.
"This is a good start. It is a good beginning," said Commissioner Martha Santiago. "As we move forward with this, we will depend on the residents to tell us how it's going so that we can make further decisions."
The new designated swimming areas and associated vessel exclusion zones will go into effect once appropriate signage is installed. Additional details on enforcement and implementation will be shared as the process moves forward, according to county staff.
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