City of Spokane

Spokane Municipal Code

***Note: Many local criminal codes can now be located under Chapter 10.60 SMC while others are now cited under the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), which was incorporated into the municipal code in 2022. (See SMC 10.58.010). Code Enforcement, including Noise Control and Animal Regulations are located in Chapters 10.62 through 10.74.

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Title 16A
Chapter 16A.60
Section 16A.60.120
 

Title 16A Transportation

Chapter 16A.60 Rules of the River

Section 16A.60.120 Buoys

  1. The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office may designate location and install in the water appropriately marked safety buoys that are required for the safety of the public.

  2. It shall be unlawful for any person to relocate, damage or alter any safety buoy.

  3. Any vessel operating within the area between the safety buoy line and the shorelines shall do so at wake speed unless such vessel is departing or towing a water skier in compliance with SMC 16A.60.050(D).

  4. It shall be unlawful for any vessel to use a safety buoy for the purpose of mooring or otherwise anchoring such vessel.

  5. Mooring buoys shall be placed inside the safety buoy line except that mooring buoys may be placed outside the safety buoy line if such buoys are appropriately marked and illuminated with a bright flashing white light between the hours of sunset and sunrise. It is the responsibility of the owner of the mooring buoy to maintain the light.

  6. Recreational buoys shall be placed one hundred feet from the established high water mark and if left unattended from sunset to sunrise shall be available for public use.

  7. The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office shall attach a bright colored notice giving the owner seven days to remove or replace any buoy in violation of the Uniform State Waterway Marking System. After the seventh day, the buoy may be removed by the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. Provided, however, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office may remove any buoy, at any time, without notification to its owner, when the officer deems the buoy to be a hazard to navigation.

Date Passed: Monday, April 23, 2018

Effective Date: Sunday, June 3, 2018

ORD C35612 Section 4