JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A proposed no-wake zone could soon slow boaters down at the Fort George River sandbar.
A special task force said a no-wake zone at the sandbar is 20 years past due, as growth brings more people and boats to the area.
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A commission member said Wednesday that “over 400,000 people” go to the Fort George Island and Huguenot Park area every year.
Law enforcement and local boaters weighed in today on congestion and safety concerns.
“Because of all of the growth of the boats and because of having less water out there, it just creates much more of a propensity for an accident to happen,” Lisa Almeida of the Freedom Boat Club said.
It was the first of several discussions. Some asked whether the zone should be seasonal.
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“It is very, very populated and congested during the summer,” Jacksonville City Councilman Mike Gay said.
Advocates say the sandbar itself is a hazard.
“If they lost control of their jet ski and somebody’s swimming, because it’s just a smaller area of water now, people can get hurt. And I’ve seen accidents out there,” Almeida said.
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Leaders want a decision before next summer.
“I think a reasonable fix is that it would be a no-wake zone out at the Fort George area,” Almeida said.
The task force is set to meet again on October 22. Ultimately, they’ll pass along their formal recommendations to city leaders for consideration.
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