Citrus County Noise Ordinance Update -- WE WON!!!

[swampjet]

The Citrus County Board of County Commission voted tonight to NOT ADOPT the Vessel Noise Ordinance, opting instead to wait until the FWC has finished its study, and the state has passed better legislation than the current F.S. 327.65 on which the proposed county ordinance was based.

One of the five commissioners had been called away on an emergency earlier in the afternoon. Of the remaining commissioners, Chairwoman Vicki Phillips, Commissioner Gary Bartell, and Commissioner Dennis Damato voted against the Vessel Noise Ordinance, while Commissioner Joyce Valentino remained in favor of the Vessel Noise Ordinance.

The main Noise Ordinance was passed unanimously, once the Vessel Noise Ordinance had been removed from it.

Tonight was an excellent example of the power of unity in the airboating community. We were SO PROUD of the dozens of airboaters, both local and statewide, who spoke out with logical, fact-based arguments against this proposed law. I believe we impressed at least 3 of those commissioners with our cool-headed, reasoned approach.

A great big THANK YOU to all of you who wrote letters and emails, made phone calls and personal visits, and who supported the Citrus County Airboat Alliance throughout this fight. The commissioners who voted against this ordinance made it very clear that they were convinced by all of the information they received from airboaters.

We won this battle, but the war is just beginning -- and it must be fought statewide! The Florida Airboat Association has developed draft legislation to be introduced during the next (2006) Legislative Session to revise F.S. 327.65. But we'll need your help. Contact your delegate to the FAA, or any officer of FAA, to find out what you can do to make a difference. If you don't know a delegate or officer of FAA, let me know, and I'll make the introduction.

Thanks again!
Bob Hoover, president
Citrus County Airboat Alliance

 

[Waterthunder]

Good job guy's once a law like that passes it sets a precedence and starts spreading like a cancer. Once a county adopts legislation the counties next to it will soon follow. We all need to educate or selves on where our county commissioners stand before the next election and vote accordingly.

 

[fatboy0054]

Thanks, for a well done job , Yesterday! protecting florida future.Thanks guys :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Remember Commissioner Joyce Valentino at the polls when she runs for re-election.

 

[airboat383]

Thank you to CCAA and everyone at the meeting yesterday that represented those of us who could'nt make. Really wish I could have been there. Although I'm not a member of CCAA I soon will be.

Thanks everyone,
Jade

 

[cntry141iq]

GOOD JOB airboats won one hooray.

 

[JAYFSU3]

GOOD JOB ON TAKING THE INITIATIVE TO GET THE BALL ROLLING AND STANDING UP FOR AIRBOATING RIGHTS. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK PANTHER AIRBOATS SUPPORTS YOU!

 

[jim]

This is a excerp from the Citrus County Chronicle Online article Rick posted:

"While the commission voted 4-0 to approve a new noise ordinance, it removed any regulations for watercraft. Commissioners said a decibel law was unenforceable and they noted state environmental officials are studying a statewide airboat noise regulation.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is expected to conclude testing on airboat mufflers and propellers in May. FWC is attempting to determine how best to quiet the noise of airboats.

Commissioners pleaded with airboaters to police the small minority in the airboat community who cause the problems, rather than forcing all airboat owners in the county to do it.

"We are legislating common courtesy, is what we're doing," Commissioner Gary Bartell said. "We need to make sure that the 5 percent cowboys and renegades aren't welcome here."

Commissioner Joyce Valentino, though, said the self-enforcement isn't working."


The problem did not go away and the issue is far from over.

If the FWC does their homework properly, they will conclude that even with mufflers, the prop noise is still there and they are mostly loud.

Those of you that are prop or boat manufacturers need to start some research on quieter props, and possibly prop shrouds. IMHO we will need to quiet the boats down to stay in operation in the long term.

Jim

 

[Daddy Dave]

Cracker,

Your are right on target when you say the problem did not go away. This was a major victory in a skirmish that is sure to be repeated in many places in the future. Organization and quick communication are the only defenses we have.

That said, CCAA - with outstanding leadership from President Bob Hoover, coordinated a terrific presentation. Well disciplined and well spoken representatives from FAA, CCAA, Florida Guides Association, Homosassa Fishing Guides Association, Kissimmee River Valley Sportsman's Association, Lake County Airboat Assn., Withlacoochee River Airboat Assoc. and others made a very strong case to wait for the science before making the vessel noise requirement portion of the ordinance.

You should have heard Tiffany Parrett's presentation. Talk about a little wasp with a big sting.....

It was very disappointing that NO airboat manufacturer, muffler equipment or propeller manufacturer's representative chose to be present.

The best thing that came from this was an organized & unified effort from airboaters that cared enough to stand up in Citrus County, Florida and be heard in a respectful and articulate manner. Government listen and reacted in a logical and reasonable manner.

The 5% outlaw airboater element who could not care less about the impressions and feelings of others were elsewhere. It is they who will cause the misery - not those who were in that room on Tuesday night.