The city of South Haven has been warning people to stay off the piers, and it’s serious about that.
City Manager Kate Hosier tells us the city council a couple of years ago approved an ordinance establishing penalties for walking on the pier when it’s closed. When the pier is covered in ice like it was this past weekend, signs are put up telling people to stay away.
“It depends on the weather and the conditions of the pier,” Hosier said. “If it’s not safe to access them, that’s when we close the piers.”
Hosier says it should be pretty clear to anyone when the pier is closed. That’s why the fine for violating pier closures is stiff.
“It’s a $1,000 fine if you enter the pier after it has been closed, and when we do close the pier, we send out a text message alert. We also — there are physical barriers on the pier as you enter it that say whether or not the pier is closed. There are people, I’m sure, that can just jump on the pier from the sides, but we also have signs saying please enter the pier from the proper entry point.”
However, Hosier notes it’s also dangerous to walk out on the shelf ice, which is about the only way to reach the pier without having to go around a barrier.
Hosier advises everyone to follow signs posted at the pier and to sign up for automatic alerts from the city. It sends out a text message to those who have signed up when there’s an important announcement like a pier closure.
