Personal watercraft owners want access to more of Arcadia Lake

Personal watercraft now can be ridden only in a specific area on the south side of Spring Creek Park seven days a week.

Personal watercraft owners Tommy Hannon and Rick Marshall want the city council to amend an ordinance to allow them to ride anywhere on the 1,820-acre lake Monday through Thursday when the lake is not as busy. They first requested a change three years ago.

Members of the city's Fish and Game Commission are against the change. They said the expanded riding area would disturb people fishing at the lake.

Three homeowners in Southlake housing addition told council members they do not want personal watercraft on the south side of the lake because of the noise.

“I am not interested in having them in my backyard,” said John Fitch, a Southlake homeowner.

Fitch, who has lived in the neighborhood 10 years, said he would have to move because of the noise.

“It is disgusting,” Fitch said “The quality of life would just go down tremendously.”

“We don't want the noise,” said Gene Johnson, another Southlake homeowner. “They are not quiet.”

Hannon disagreed that personal watercraft make more noise than boats.