WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Owners of private boat launches in Whatcom County could soon face a new charge.

The Bellingham City Council voted unanimously on Monday, Oct. 19, to approve an ordinance establishing a permit fee for private boat launches, along with a new fee schedule.

The permit is issued through a $60 annual fee, but councilmember Michael Lilliquist says owners don’t necessarily have to pay that.

“The important thing is, this is not about the fee. As a matter of fact, the fee will be waived if the operator or owner of the property takes certain specific training to indicate they understand how to protect the lake,” Lilliquist explained at the meeting. “So you don’t actually have to pay the fee if you take the training. Either way, you need the permit.”

According to the city, there are about 60 private boat launches around Lake Whatcom that pose the danger of introducing invasive species to the lake. 15 of those locations lie within Bellingham city limits, while Whatcom County is currently drafting a parallel ordinance to address the rest of the launches under county jurisdiction.

In the warmer months, Lake Whatcom and Lake Samish have aquatic invasive species check stations at public docks that inspect vessels, charging a fee for those services before boaters can launch.

All vessels, motorized or otherwise, are already required to have a permit to be on the water.

Lilliquist says the rules are aimed at protecting the lake, not forcing owners to cough up a new fee.

“This really is about getting the people with private boat launches to understand the rules and to post those rules so that people who are launching their boats will have the rules directly in front of them in case they don’t already known them,” Lilliquist said.

Private boat launches covered by the ordinance do not include docks where boats are parked, stored or lowered into the lake through a hoist or lift as long as they’re legally launched from another launch point.

The ordinance now awaits a final vote at the council’s next meeting and would take effect 15 days after approval.