Gas-powered boats may soon be banned from a stretch of the Whitefish River that runs through town.

Mayor John Muhlfeld broke a 3-3 vote Nov. 4 in favor of petitioning Fish, Wildlife and Parks to limit a portion of the river to manually powered watercraft or those with small electric motors. The impacted portion of the river runs from the BNSF railroad trestle near City Beach downstream to JP Road.

Ultimately, the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission will decide whether to officially enact the new designation. Currently a no wake restriction exists on that stretch of the river.

Richard Hildner — the lead advocate for the new designation — says motorized boats are not compatible with current river use. He cites safety issues and the opportunity to protect the river from potential erosion caused by whitewater-wake.

This past spring he proposed an all-out ban of motorized boats on the river up to the Highway 40 bridge. He scaled back his proposal after hearing from residents who said closing the river to motors would eliminate usage for some, like those with disabilities.

Michael Park told council he has limited use of his arms, but with the assistance of a small electric motor, he is able to navigate the river.

“A duck would probably outrun me,” he said of his boat’s one-horsepower motor.

Avid paddler Mike Fitzgerald praised the proposed regulation.

“Twenty years ago we tried a no wake restriction and it didn’t work,” he said. “A five-horsepower engine can stir up that river so much.”

He said that with Whitefish Lake being busy with power boats in the summer, the river provides solace for the paddler.

“We are so fortunate to have the river go right through town,” he said. “It’s a beautiful thing.”

Council generally agreed large power boats and jet skis should be restricted from using the river, yet they were split on whether low horsepower gas motors should continue to be allowed.

“Why don’t we allow up to five horsepower?” Phil Mitchell asked. “I’ve had a few people say they wanted to use a small gas motor.”

Longtime Whitefish resident Leonard Howke has lived on the river near JP Road for decades. He spoke against the proposed ban, calling it unfair since residents along the river up to the train trestle would continue to be allowed to use gas-powered boats.

“They can have big motors and I can’t?” he asked.

Glenwood Kerestes owns property along the river that’s been in the family for more than 100 years. He told council in a letter that he understands the objective of protecting the river from unnecessary erosion and that he would support a speed limit or no wake rule. However, a ban of motorized boats is too much.

“I can’t help but feel that the proposed regulation is an attempt to address a problem that doesn’t really exist,” he stated.

“I have never observed more than a couple of motorized craft a year.”

Councilor Bill Kahle said the goal of safety and preserving the river could still be met by simply limiting horsepower.

“We can share the river as long as it’s being respected,” he said. “Limiting it to electric motors is too restrictive.”

Kahle also questioned who would enforce the new rule.

Hildner said enforcement would fall on FWP and violations could be called in to Whitefish Police.

Hildner, Frank Sweeney and John Anderson voted in favor of the proposal.