TAHOE CITY and#8212; After announcing earlier this month that boaters would have to pay an additional launch fee to use the Lake Forest ramp, the Tahoe City Public Utility District Board of Directors recently voted to lower the fee structure and reduce some of the ramp’s hours.

The ramp is now open from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday until Sept. 7. From Sept. 8 through Oct. 1 the ramp will be opened from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and from Oct. 2 to May 23 hours will reduce to from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The board also voted to reduce the cost of an annual and summer pass and eliminated the resident and non-resident prices previously stipulated.

A one-day parking fee will cost $10, a summer parking pass costs $140 and an annual parking pass costs $195.

and#8220;The time available for the passes has decreased, and we wanted to make it more customer friendly for people who want to use the facility,and#8221; said TCPUD Spokesman Alan Harry.

Implementing a resident and non-resident pass could also have posed logistical difficulties, Harry said.

The Lake Forest launch has historically charged a $10 parking fee.

While the fee is being called a parking fee, it will be used to fund additional hours of operation at the boat ramp. According to Tahoe Regional Planning Agency regulations, all boat ramps must have an invasive species inspector present to be open. The parking fee will pay for inspectors for the additional hours the ramp is open.

The name of the fee will change from a and#8220;parking feeand#8221; to a and#8220;launch fee,and#8221; pending approval of the California Wildlife Conservation Board. That approval could take up to five weeks, Harry said.