Residents upset about kayak traffic on Weeki Wachee River

Kayaking the Weeki Wachee river is one of Hernando County's biggest tourist draws, but it's also causing residents a lot of problems.

• Residents asking commissioners to rezone some areas
• Commissioners say there's no easy solution
• Foliage along river damaged, sand dumped into river
  

Some of those residents have started a petition hoping to limit the number of kayakers on the river.

Tracy Dust said he misses the way it was when he first moved here.

"We came here 28 years ago because of this river," he said. "We looked at a lot of places in Florida, a lot of places, before we moved here. And now to see what's happening to it now, people should be ashamed. And it's all because of chasing the dollar. Let's put it bluntly, it's the chase of the dollar."

Tracy said as more and more kayakers have come onto the river, the foliage along the river has been damaged, and more and more sand has been dumped into the river as people pulled onto sandbars.

He is one of several people that signed a petition asking county commissioners to step in to limit the number of kayakers on the water. It's an issue they've been talking to county leaders about for some time, but many feel not much has been done.

Currently many kayak rental companies use launching locations like the one behind Riverside Restaurant. And it's all legal.

But residents are asking county commissioners to rezone these areas so launching from here won't be allowed.

Commissioners say it's not that easy.

"Not only myself, but many public officials and staff members in Hernando County government are working hard on this issue," Hernando County Commissioner John Allocco said.

"I have responsibility as a county commissioner to make sure I protect the river, the property rights of the people who own property along the river, but also I have to protect the taxpayers in Hernando County. To make sure when we do things we're doing them in a legally proficient and efficient manner," Allocco said.

Tracy understands the restraints county commissioners have, but he still feels something can be done.

"I was a superintendent of schools for 20 years in Indiana," he said. "Whenever there was an issue I was expected to find an answer and we just can't throw up our hands here and say, 'Well you know, we just can't find an answer."

This issue has also gotten the attention of state lawmakers. State Sen. Wilton Simpson has already allocated $400,000 to create a design plan to restore the river.