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2018 SESSION

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CHAPTER 426 An Act to amend and reenact § 29.1-748.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to personal watercraft; lakes smaller than 50 acres. [H 346] Approved March 23, 2018

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 29.1-748.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 29.1-748.1. Local ordinances; operation on lakes; minimum distance from shoreline; penalty.

A. Any locality in Planning District 23 may, by ordinance, prohibit the operation of a personal watercraft on a public lake measuring less than 50 acres in extent. Such ordinance shall provide that a violation of the prohibition constitutes a Class 4 misdemeanor. Any violation of such an ordinance shall be subject to the provisions of subsection C of § 29.1-748.

B. The City of Virginia Beach may, by ordinance, regulate in any portion of a waterway located solely within its territorial limits, the minimum distance that personal watercraft may be operated from the shoreline in excess of the slowest possible speed required to maintain steerage and headway. Such ordinance shall provide for distances of 100 feet from the shoreline and 200 feet from swimmers in ocean waters, and shall provide for local enforcement and penalties not exceeding those applicable to Class 4 misdemeanors. Nothing in this section subsection prohibits access to and from waters where operation is not otherwise restricted.