County contemplating houseboat ban

SANDPOINT — Bonner County might be tacking in its effort to regulate a new form of float home.

County commissioners were asked Tuesday to consider implementing regulations governing float homes classified as vessels, but shipped the matter back to the Waterways Advisory Board to contemplate an outright prohibition.

The proposed regulations and possible ban would target float homes which are designated as vessels by the U.S. Coast Guard. The designation has raised concerns that the new breed of float home would be used to dodge a moratorium on traditional float homes in effect on Panhandle lakes.

The regulations were developed following the debut of “water lodges” at a Spokane, Wash., boat show last year. The waterborne domiciles have hulls and optional small-horsepower engines for mobility.

The regulations would require owners of the lodges to obtain a permit from the county. They would also be required to demonstrated they have an agreement with a septic pump-out service, a regulation meant to address the concern of illegal discharges.

The rules would be enforced by the Bonner County Sheriff’s Marine Patrol.

Marine patrol supervisor Lt. Cary Kelly, a member of the waterways board, said there was considerable debate by the panel about whether the vessels should be banned or regulated.

“Needless to say, there was a lot of disagreement on what could be done,” said Kelly, explaining that the board ultimately settled on regulating the vessels.

Only one of the vessels have been spotted on Lake Pend Oreille since they entered the marketplace.

But Sagle resident Lou Goodness argued the proposed regulations were overly burdensome and a “needless expansion of government bureaucracy.”

“I don’t think there’s any need to have this regulation,” said Goodness.

Goodness said there is no opportunity for local rule-making under the state’s marine sewage disposal law. It would be cleaner and simpler to adopt a ban on houseboats registered and classified as vessels, he said.

Commissioner Lewis Rich moved have the waterways board to develop an ordinance to that effect. Commissioner Cornel Rasor seconded the motion, but said he wants to make sure there isn’t existing legislation which could be used to reach the same goals.

“My main concern is proliferation of ordinances,” said Rasor.