11-21-2022 Planning Commission Packet

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FILE # LA22-000050 21 Nov 2022 Page 3 of 4 the purpose of establishing open space adjacent to the street and which area is designated on the recorded plat as boulevard reserve.  Orono’s 2020-2040 Comprehensive Plan: Transportation Chapter 4A - Lake access, preservation and management Orono's lakes provide a significant recreational resource for all Orono residents. This value was long ago realized by City leaders. In order to provide lake access for the general public, as well as to provide for fire department access to the lake as a water source, a number of lake access corridors were created as the shore land developed. These typically are platted, dedicated right- of-ways leading from the local road system to the shoreline, and are commonly from 16' to 66' in width. These right-of-ways (often referred to as “fire lanes” or “lake access roads”) vary considerably in their proximity to traffic, parking availability, proximity to housing, lakeshore conditions, and other factors that effect their recreational value. Some of these corridors have been maintained by the City for local swimming beaches or as winter snowmobile and ice-fishing accesses. Certain accesses have docks for fishing, and some have ramp areas suitable for launching a small boat. However, most do not have designated parking available, and are primarily intended to serve the neighborhood rather than the general public. A number of these access corridors have steep topography, shallow water depths, undesirable lake bottom conditions, and/or dense vegetation and experience little or no usage. Of the City lake accesses shown on Map 4E-2 (Exhibit J), half of those located outside of Big Island are either undeveloped or closed to public use.  Orono’s 2020-2040 Comprehensive Plan: Chapter 4E Parks, Trails, and Open Spaces • Orono will maintain Lake Access for all residents. With shore land abutting a dozen separate bays in Lake Minnetonka, Orono has a commitment to maintaining access via the dedicated access corridors. It is the City’s intent to permanently retain for public use all existing lake access corridors and fire lanes, regardless of the current level of use or maintenance. (Supports goal 5) To this end, the City will follow these policies: o Requests for vacation of dedicated lake access right of ways will be evaluated carefully, in particular where equal or better lake accesses are not available nearby. The City will identify and take necessary action to preserve the public’s right to use of any such accesses which exist but which may not have been formally dedicated. o The City will endeavor to work with property owners adjacent to lake access corridors to ensure that both the rights of the public and the rights of the private landowner are upheld. Engineer Comments 1. I do not recommend the vacation of those parts of Hattie Place identified in the proposal. That section of ROW provides a public benefit with sanitary sewer utilities. It also provides future access to the abutting parcels. 2. The other right of ways identified in the proposal do not appear to serve a public purpose and subject to DNR and other agency review could be vacated.