04-14-2003 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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CMP Part 4A. Transport«.ton Plan lake population, however, the extent of lakeshore available to the public generally and the means of public access to the take have diminished and ther^ore become increasingly valuable from year toyear...we must not forget that the public Includes persons other than those In the Immediate vicinity. The general public has a true concern in the recreational facilities offered by the lakes which nature has so freely given us In this Knfr, Their generous sharing by all will make for a healthier pnd happier people. The many not fortunate enough to be able to acquire the advantages of ownership of lake shore properties should not be deprived of these benefits. This we would do If we permitted streets leading to the lakeshore to be vacated... "The loss to the public of 150 feet of shoreline out of a total of approximately 100 miles may to the Baldwins Stem Inconsequential or even Infinitesimal and nothing to be disturbed about But, of this 100 miles of precious shoreline, onfy a small fraction has been reservedfor the public; and If the courts should create a precedent by permitting a single Inroad, however small, upon the public’s share of the shoreline, other Inroads will Inevitably follow, until tht. aggregate becomes a real threat to the public’s free access to the lake. To avoid any possibility such a result, the courts should with equal vigor repulse thefrst, the second, and every other assault upon the public domain." Less than 1% of Orono’s lake shrreline has been dedicated as public access corridors. Nearly all the rest is privately owned, and not available to the public for lake access purposes, save for the DNR Maxwell Bay Access, Hennepin County’s North Arm Access and the City ’s Summit Park on Long Lake. Hennepin County’s Noerenberg Gardens Memorial Park, while abutting Lake Minnetonka, has deed restrictions that disallow use for docking or launching boats. With shoreland abutting a dozen separate bays in Lake Miimetonka, Orono has a commitment to maintaining access via the dedicated access corridors. Lake Access Policies It is the City ’s intent to petman'*ntly retain for public use all existing lake access corridors and fire lanes, regardless of the current level of use or maintenance. To this end, the City will follow these policies: 1. Requests for vacation of dedicated lake access right-of-ways will be denied in all cases except where equal or better lake access will be granted nearby in return. 2. 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. 3. 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. Orono’s lake accesses are enumerated in Table 4A-6. ? * City of Orono Community Management Plan Stpiember 2000 Page 4A-31