Temporary Structure Permit Regulations

Mooring Buoy Information
Private Swimming Areas
Public Swimming Areas
Swim / Dive Raft / Water Trampoline
Slalom Courses

TEMPORARY STRUCTURE PERMIT REGULATIONS
FOR
MOORING BUOY APPLICANTS

When you receive your permit authorizing the placement of your mooring buoy; the permit will be valid until one or more of the following occurs:

When your address or location of the temporary structure changes

When your permission from the property landowner is revoked

When your structure is found to be non-compliant with the policies and/or regulations set forth

When the structure is no longer used.

The Sheriff’s Office Water Patrol takes great care to ensure the safe navigation of all persons using the public waters of Otter Tail County, to accomplish this, Deputies will inspect and monitor your temporary structures to ensure that it is in compliance with the following regulations and guidelines, Rule 6110.1500, Subp. 4:

The permit number is displayed in not less than 2” in height numerals on the upper half of the buoy

The buoy must be white in color encircled with a 1” wide blue colored band

A minimum of 16 square inches of white reflectorization, part of which must be visible from any direction, is required on all mooring buoys

The buoy must extend at least 8” above the water and be no greater that 24” in length/diameter

The buoy MUST be within 100 feet from shore including the swing of the moored boat

The buoy cannot be a navigational hazard to the general boating public

The water depth at the location of the mooring site should not exceed one and one-half feet more than the draft of your watercraft

Any object used to anchor your mooring buoy MUST be clean and non-polluting. All anchoring must be retrievable from the public water.

The structure must be removed by November 1st, so as not to create a hazard for developing ice and winter conditions.

Please understand that ANY structure placed in the public waters Otter Tail County remain your responsibility to maintain. This however, does not prevent someone from using your structure. By issuing you a temporary structure permit, Otter Tail County, by rule of law, is not liable for any injuries or property damage by persons using, crashing into, or damage caused by, your temporary water structure.

The Application for a Temporary Structure Permit is on our Forms Page.

TEMPORARY STRUCTURE PERMIT REGULATIONS
FOR
PRIVATE SWIMMING AREAS

Once you receive your permit authorizing the placement of your swimming area buoys; the permit will be
Valid until one or more of the following occurs:

When your address or location of the temporary structure changes; or

When your permission from the property / landowner is revoked

When your structure is found to be non-compliant with the policies and/or regulations
set forth

The Sheriff’s Office Water Patrol takes great care to ensure the safe navigation of all persons using the public waters of Otter-Tail County, to accomplish this, Deputies will inspect and monitor your swim area to ensure that it is in compliance with the following regulations and guidelines, Rule 6110.1600:

The permit holder may mark off up to 2,500 square feet for the swim area

The swim area MUST be no more than 50 feet along the lake frontage

The swim area must be marked with buoys that are white in color with orange in color
diamonds with crosses on each side

The buoys must also extend 6 inches out of the water and not taller than 14 inches. The
buoys should also be spaced no more than 15 feet apart

The swim area cannot be a navigational danger to the general boating public

The structure must be removed by November 1st, so as not to create a hazard for
developing ice and winter conditions

* * A white colored bleach bottle with the proper marking shown ( Left ), on each side, fulfills the above requirements * *

Please understand that ANY structure placed in the public waters within Otter-Tail County remain your responsibility to maintain. This however, does not prevent someone from using your structure. By issuing you a temporary structure permit, Otter-Tail County, by Rule of Law, is not liable for any injuries or property damage by persons using, crashing into, or damage caused by, your temporary water structure.

Once you receive your permit authorizing the placement of your swimming area buoys; the permit will be valid until one or more of the following occurs:

When your address or location of the temporary structure changes

When your permission from the property landowner is revoked

When your structure is found to be non-compliant with the policies and/or regulations set forth

The Sheriff’s Office Water Patrol takes great care to ensure the safe navigation of all persons using the public waters Otter Tail County. To accomplish this, Deputies will inspect and monitor your swim area to ensure that it is in compliance with the following regulations and guidelines, Rule 6110.1600, Subp. 2:

The permit holder must be the legal representative of a designated governmental subdivision, private corporation, private club, nonprofit organization, or business offering swimming to the public

The entire perimeter of the designated swim area must be marked with buoys that are white in color with orange in color diamonds with crosses on each side. Also the buoys must have one horizontal orange colored band above and below the diamond/cross symbol

The buoys must be no less than 9 inches in diameter and extend out of the water no less than 36 inches above the surface of the water. The buoys should also be spaced no more than 15 feet apart

The buoys must be not be spaced no more than 75 feet apart and there shall be no less than three buoys marking any one side of the designated swim area

Additional smaller buoys may be used to better define the designated swim area between the primary marker buoys. The additional buoys must be all white in color

The swim area cannot be a navigational danger to the general boating public

The structure must be removed by November 1st, so as not to create a hazard for developing ice and winter conditions

Please understand that ANY structure placed in the public waters within Otter Tail County remain your responsibility to maintain. This however, does not prevent someone from using your structure. By issuing you a temporary structure permit, Otter Tail County, by rule of law, is not liable for any injuries or property damage by persons using, crashing into, or damage caused by, your temporary water structure.

Once you receive your permit authorizing the placement of your swim raft / dive raft / water trampoline / or other floating water recreation structure; the permit will be valid until one or more of the following occurs:

When your address or location of the temporary structure changes

When your permission from the property landowner is revoked

When your structure is found to be non-compliant with the policies and/or regulations set forth

The Sheriff’s Office Water Patrol takes great care to ensure the safe navigation of all persons using the public waters of Otter Tail County, to accomplish this, Deputies will inspect and monitor your temporary structure to ensure that it is in compliance with the following regulations and guidelines:

The permit number is displayed in not less than 2” in height numerals on one side of the raft

The structure must have enough reflectorized material so as to indicate its size and shape from all angles

The structure MUST be within 100 feet from shore

The temporary structure cannot be a navigational hazard to the general boating public

The structure is not deemed a hazard to persons using the structure

The structure is placed and remains in the location described in the permit application

The structure must be removed by November 1st, so as not to create a hazard for developing ice and winter conditions

Please understand that ANY structure placed in the public waters within Otter Tail County remain your responsibility to maintain. This however, does not prevent someone from using your structure. By issuing you a temporary structure permit, Otter Tail County, by rule of law, is not liable for any injuries or property damage by persons using, crashing into, or damage caused by, your temporary water structure.

TEMPORARY STRUCTURE PERMIT REGULATIONS
For
SLALOM COURSES

Courses on county lakes and rivers that are removed after each use do not need a permit. All permanent courses need the following:

A regulation length Slalom Course is normally over 800 feet long and because it restricts the public use of such a large area, the following regulations are to be followed closely:

1. The cities (if any) that are affected must give written permission.

2. All property owners which the course directly affects must give written permission.

3. Surface floats must be submerged or removed when the course is not in use.

4. The permit number must be displayed on the end floats.

5. The course cannot exceed 900 feet in length.

6. The course cannot be a navigational hazard.

7. The permit will be renewed annually and the previous years’ complaints (if any) will be reviewed.

8. When you return the Temporary Structure Application, you must include copies of all letters of permission.