Petitions bearing more than 600 signatures were submitted to the Des Moines City Council on Feb. 14, urging lawmakers not to change the character of the marina.

Members of the Association of Condominium Residents of Greater Des Moines want the council to abandon plans to remove the sling boat launch from the marina, and not to permit another waterfront restaurant to be built in its place.

Mayor Bob Sheckler said later that not all of the 637 people who signed the petition are Des Moines residents. Some appear to be boaters from out of town who use the city facility.

"At this time the plan is still to remove the sling launch," Sheckler noted. "However, it could be a few years out before that happens."

In the meantime, he continued, council members are "strongly considering increasing launch fees to approximately $40 in an attempt to break even" with sling boat launches.

City officials long have said the sling launch is a money losing operation for the marina.

Late last year, Anthony's Restaurants expressed an interest in building a Hearthfire Grill where the launch is located following its removal. Anthony's, which already operates a Home Port restaurant at the marina, later withdrew that request.

Now a city council committee has sent out requests for proposals from other restaurants interested in locating at the marina.

No action by the committee is expected until later this year.

The petitions submitted by the condominium residents - many of whom live next to the marina - express the concern that a new restaurant where the sling launch is located would impede views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains that they now enjoy.

"This will affect the value of the units impacted by this restaurant, with estimates of varying amounts from $10,000 per unit to perhaps as much as $50,000 per unit," and will also increase traffic and parking problems near the marina, the petitions say.

Signers of the petitions are urging the city council to "identify a profitable and less obtrusive use of the Des Moines Marina than the present plan for adding a new restaurant and removing the existing boatlift."