County Judge Announces Restrictions on Canyon Lake Boat Ramps, Businesses
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Starting this weekend, Canyon Lake boat ramps can only be used to launch and recover boats, not as gathering places or entry points to the lake shore, Comal County Judge Sherman Krause said in a statement today.
Comal County sheriff’s deputies will strictly enforce these pre-existing rules for county-owned boat ramps.
The decision comes as Comal County confirmed its twelfth case of COVID-19 on Wednesday, April 1.
In a press release, the county said the decision to begin enforcement followed “collaboration” between Krause, the Criminal District Attorney’s Office, Comal County Sheriff’s Office, and the county’s Office of Emergency Management.
On Tuesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a ‘Stay at Home’ order requiring the closure of nonessential businesses and limiting social gatherings. The order also restricts businesses who provide nonessential services and gives local officials the power to enforce it.
To learn more about how the Texas Department of Emergency Management defines nonesential services, click here. Abbott’s executive order specifically restricts gyms, massage establishments, tattoo studios, piercing studios and cosmetology salons while maintaining restrictions on bars and limiting restaurants to carry-out or delivery service only.
“The governor’s order goes into effect on Thursday, and our Sheriff’s Office COVID-19 task force will begin educating businesses in the unincorporated areas of the county who are out of alignment with that order before moving to enforcement if necessary,” Krause said. “The only way we as a county can stop the spread of the coronavirus is to work together and take responsibility for staying home and maintaining the social-distancing measured ordered by the governor.”
On March 27, Krause issued Stay Home/Work Safely guidance for reducing the public health threat posed by COVID-19, and asked water-recreation businesses to voluntarily close.
“Water recreation businesses that have long been major economic generators in our community should voluntarily shut down,” the guidance read, citing protocol issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and executive orders issued by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
It doesn’t matter what laws or regulations are made for public ramps. You’ll always have teens hanging out, scuba divers parking in the wrong areas and sightseeing at the ramps for no reason. # 1 county ramp is the worse!
I agree with the Judge, this is a place to launch and recovery of your boat. Not a place for parties, groups of teens drinking, or swimming or fishing right on the ramps themselves. Someone needs to look into giving tickets to the boats that are really overloaded with 10 or more people, arm to arm and no social distance at all between them. Everyone should be responsible and enjoy the lake and practice social distance at all times, except when you get that lunker on the line and you need your boat partner to get the net for you.
For those upset about not being able to hang out on the lake shoreline or boat ramps, I can tell you thank others for not doing their part. We witnessed just a few days ago a group of 5 guys hanging out on Ramp 1 with a cooler of beer and music. Bro-fest jumping off the dock between boats loading/unloading. The loading dock isn’t a recreational platform in of itself. It’s a mechanism to assist the boaters. Then, just 50 yards from same ramp there was a group of 20 hanging out.
I do think the marinas need to stop renting boats out. There were several boats with 10 plus, not immediate family, hanging out on boats.
I sure dont understand this at all. And putting tickets are cars there when you dont even know why the car is there. Some people hike in the area and never around others and have a ticket on their car when they get back to it. Seriously messed up.
If anyone would care to read the signs at all boast ramps, parking is for vehicles with trailers. Not for hikers, swimmers, parties, etc.
Boating only with your family is appropriate, no friends or neighbors. The boat ramps are not access for any reason other than the launching and recovery of boats. This quickly becomes a safety issue when people are swimming in a boat traffic designated area. Thank you Judge Krause for resolving the safety issue. Happy Boating!
Excellent point. There should not be there in the first place.
Not everyone.owns boats, but want to enjoy the lake. I wa there recently. Very few people. Social Distancing was being observed quite well.
It makes no sense to tell people they cannot go to a massive lake where they could practice social distancing, but you can get your buddies together and cram on a boat with no social distancing. Well thought out guys. If you’re going to shut the lake down for some it should be for EVERYONE! You should allow people to enjoy our lake responsibly. The people of Comal county have been keeping their distance while accessing the lake responsibly from the boat ramps to swim and fish based on my observations. The CDC says to stay 6 feet apart but to still go for exercise, fresh air, and sunshine.
No one shut down the lake, they are enforcing the law for Texas boat ramps. There is no swimming or recreation in the areas designated for the launching and recovery of boats. You can launch your kayak and go for a paddle.
I think it would be great that everyone followed the cdc rules because if everyone dos not care about themselves they need to care about others our lord will get us all through this but he also gave you common sense ok please do it for our community God bless us all
Hallelujah, for a minute there I didn’t think anything was going to be done about our boat ramps!
Thank you so much. Everyone needs to do their part, to think of not only ourselves, but our fellow man, if we are to get through this challenge. We are being tested…..how well will we we do? Be Safe everyone!