Township of Lakes considering going after boat owners

In response to a request from Lake Mohawk, Byram looking at regulating boat storage By Kathryn Kaplan Byram - As the leaves begin to fall and temperatures drop, boat owners in the lake communities around Sussex County are beginning to pull their boats out of the water and ready them for the long cold winter ahead. For some in Byram it means winterizing the boat and leaving it on the driveway or other residential property until next spring. However, because of a request from the Lake Mohawk Country Club, Bryam residents may no longer have that option. Those who live in the Lake Mohawk reservation, which encompasses property in both Sparta and Byram, must adhere to LMCC regulations which stipulate that neither boats nor trailers may be stored in the front of a home or property visible from the road. According to the lake’s regulations, boats can be stored in the side or rear yards and must be adequately shielded so that they are not visible from the street. In order to add more power to its regulation, the country club is asking Byram to enact a town ordinance that enforces the same boat storage rules for Lake Mohawk property owners living in Byram. If the municipality agrees to put a law on the books, violators who did not respond to the country club’s efforts to have them follow the rules, could be legally pursued by the town. As a result of the request, Byram officials are now considering enacting the ban throughout the municipality and not just in the Lake Mohawk area. During Monday’s meeting, Councilman James Oscovitch said he was uncomfortable targeting one specific residential community. “I think it is tricky to pick on one area of town,” said Oscovitch. “But I don’t want to pick on the whole town too.” The council this week directed the town attorney to draft an ordinance supporting Lake Mohawk’s request and regulations. But councilman Lou Esposito asserted the move is really more of an avenue to solicit public response to the idea. “Let’s all talk about it and talk it out,” said Esposito. “We are thinking of this, what do you think?” The council will consider the resolution during its Nov. 7 meeting. The public is invited to make their comments during the public participation segment of the meeting.