A. Boating:
1. Internal combustion engines may be operated within the area of Lake Charleston herein described as the side channel reservoir; provided, that no wake is created at any time during the operation of such engines.
2. Rowboats, paddleboats, sailboats, canoes, rafts, and other such hand or wind propelled craft may be operated within the side channel reservoir.
3. Electric trolling motors may be operated within the side channel reservoir, provided such motors are powered by a maximum of twenty four (24) volt batteries.
4. Watercraft propelled by internal combustion engines may be used within the lower reservoir of Lake Charleston. (Ord. 82-O-7, 4-20-1982)
5. Racing by boats propelled by internal combustion engines or motors in any part of Lake Charleston is prohibited, except with written authority of the city manager. (Ord. 82-O-7, 4-20-1982; amd. Ord. 96-O-64, 12-17-1996, eff. 5-6-1997)
6. All boats and craft shall be subject to all boating rules and regulations of the state.
7. No boat or craft shall be operated in any manner which would tend to endanger the life or safety of any person who may be boating or swimming upon the waters of the reservoir. No boat or craft shall be operated at a speed greater than is safe and prudent under the circumstances.
8. No boat or craft shall enter any area which may be set off and designated by the city as a bathing area.
9. No boat or craft of any kind or character shall be used, propelled or operated on the reservoir unless it carries for each occupant an adequate life preserver in good condition especially designated for that purpose and approved for such use by the state.
10. Every motor craft shall carry the following lights from sunset to sunrise:
a. A bright, white light aft to show all around the horizon; and
b. A combined lantern in the forepart of the boat lower than the white light aft, showing green to starboard and red to port, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two (2) points abaft the beam on their respective sides; and
c. Rafts, towboats, skiffs, dinghies, sailboats and canoes, when underway or when anchored more than one hundred feet (100') from shore, shall carry a white light visible all around the horizon from sunset to sunrise.
11. The business of renting boats for hire or carrying passengers for hire on the reservoir is prohibited except as may be authorized by special concession by the City.
12. No boat or craft shall be used or operated, nor any horn or sound device sounded so as to create a nuisance, or disturb the peace or quiet of any neighborhood within the drainage areas.
13. No boat or craft shall be operated within a distance of one hundred feet (100') of the reservoir spillway, located in the southeast section of Lake Charleston.
14. The City shall at all times have the power and authority to prohibit, restrict or otherwise limit or regulate the keeping, maintenance or operation of any or all boats and craft on the waters of the reservoir should it become necessary to do so in the interest of the reservoir or other cause.
15. Any boat or craft found abandoned or adrift in the reservoir or any unlicensed boat or craft thereon shall be taken up by the City, and the City shall have a lien thereon for the expenses of taking, towing, keeping, advertising, and selling of the same, and for all damages caused by such craft to property of the City, and may enforce such lien by advertisement and sale of such craft in like manner as chattel mortgages may be foreclosed under the laws of this State. Nothing herein shall be construed as exonerating the owner or operator of any boat or craft from personal injury caused by such boat or craft. (Ord. 82-O-7, 4-20-1982)
16. A sign setting forth the size, quantities and species of fish that may be taken, and setting forth the wake policy, shall be erected at the boat launch, dike and pump house road. (Ord. 89-O-3, 2-7-1989)
17. All boats shall travel in a counterclockwise direction around the lower reservoir.
18. Rowboats have the right-of-way over sailboats.
19. Rowboats and sailboats have the right-of-way over motorboats.
20. No powerboat or sailboat shall be operated by a person under twelve (12) years of age unless accompanied by an adult in the boat.
21. No craft or person shall collide with, run against, strike, injure, deface, damage or move any buoy or any other City property on the lake.
22. Boat docks provided by the City adjacent to boat launching ramps are hereby designated courtesy docks. Boats may be docked at courtesy docks for periods not exceeding two (2) consecutive hours. Boats docked longer than two (2) hours at courtesy docks shall be considered abandoned and may be removed by the City in accordance with subsection A15 of this section. Boats docked at courtesy docks shall be docked so as not to interfere with the launching and removal of boats. (Ord. 82-O-7, 4-20-1982)
B. Fishing And Hunting:
1. Fishing: Fishing in Lake Charleston, the side channel reservoir, the lower reservoir, and water controlled by the City below the said reservoir shall be in compliance and consistent with the rules and regulations of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the laws of the State of Illinois. (Ord. 18-O-18, 6-19-2018)
2. Hunting: Hunting on Lake Charleston is hereby prohibited except for the hunting of waterfowl in season in that portion of Lake Charleston north of that portion of the lake called "the island". The privilege of hunting on the reservoir or any part thereof may be suspended by the City, with proper notice, whenever such suspension shall be deemed proper to conserve wildlife or to prevent any tendency to pollute the waters of the reservoir or to promote the improvement or convenience, maintenance or control thereof.
3. Duck Blinds: Floating duck blinds are permitted on any portion of Lake Charleston, provided said blinds are licensed by the City. A fee of fifty cents ($0.50) per year shall be charged for said license. The license furnished by the City shall be displayed in a conspicuous place upon the floating duck blind. Said duck blinds may only be anchored by weights or marine anchors. Stakes and other such means of anchorage are prohibited. Platform duck blinds of any type are prohibited in any portion of Lake Charleston. The provisions of this subsection B3 do not apply during such time as a duck hunting lease of Lake Charleston is in effect.
C. Picnicking And Camping: Any person using the drainage area for picnicking, camping or other recreational purposes shall keep the premises neat and clean, pick up and remove in a sanitary manner all paper, garbage, rubbish and debris and, before leaving the premises, put out any fire made by said person.
D. Business Establishments: Unless duly authorized in writing by the City, no person shall maintain or operate any garage, restaurant, confectionery, refreshment parlor, dance hall, hotel, inn or place of amusement for hire, or store or stand for the sale of merchandise. Any license issued therefor by the City shall be kept conspicuously posted in such place of business or establishment.
E. Vehicular Traffic: Motor vehicles may travel on designated public roads at Lake Charleston and Lakeview parks. Off road travel and use of park trails by motorcycle, four (4) wheel drive vehicles or other types of motorized vehicles is prohibited. Motor vehicles, other than City maintenance vehicles, are prohibited on the side channel reservoir dike.
F. Buildings And Structures: No building or other structures, whether for habitation or otherwise, including any dock, wharf, boathouse, or anchored or stationary raft, shall be constructed, altered or maintained within the limits of the lake area or marginal land. Owners of private land or leased land adjacent to Lake Charleston may construct a dock, boathouse or similar structure between their land and Lake Charleston, provided an application is submitted to the building official setting forth the type of construction and specifications and said application is approved in writing by the building official. (Ord. 82-O-7, 4-20-1982)