02-09-1987 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

INTRODUCTION PURPOSE The purpose of this report to present the results of a preliminary study to de- termine the scope of a Management Plan for Lake Minnetonka, Hennepin County, Minnesota. The Management Plan is intended to guide resource managers and mu- nicipalities surrounding the lake in controlling use of the lake and further de- velopment of the Jake's resources. The report presents background information about the lake and previous studies, develops specific topics to be addressed in the Management Plan and specifies the contents of proposals submitted to de- velop the plan. STUDY AREA Lake Minnetonka is a series of bays, points and islands with 31 interconnecting channels covering 14,G43 acres (approximately 22 square miles). The 125 wiled of shoreline falls within the jurisdiction of 14 separate municipalities in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The drainage basin includes 123 square miles. Geomotphologically, the lake is perched on glacial material characteristic of she Minneapolis -St. Paul metropolitan area. The deepest point is 91 feet, with a mean depth of 22.5 feet. Platting and development of the ,horelands of the lake began in the nineteenth century. In the 1880s, commercial steamboats and hotels drew a national clien- tele. Today oast of the lake is urbanized, with some undeveloped land on the western bays in the City of Minnetrista. overwhelmingly, the lakeshore is in private residential development. Nuserous pockets of public land remain as parks and provide access to the lake for boaters, swimmers, and picnickers, but these Iai.ds are limited. The extent to which the public access is limited has been, and remains, subject to consid.•rable debate, and becomes an important topic of the Management Plan. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS Managem•nt of the lake currently directly involves the 14 individual municipal- ities, Hennepin County, regional agencies, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. This diverse management structure, in the view of public of- ficial involved in lake and lakeshore management, often works well. However, shot' :g exist. When coupled with overlapping authorities, conflicting ob- jectad differences in development plane occasionally lead, to disputes and cuu,, battle,. Among the regional agencies is the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District. The District derives its authority from state statute, and is composed of one repre- sentative from each riparian municipality. The District has specific manage- ment authority over the lake surface and hoar ducks on the ehoreland,. Other than placem—It and dimensions of boat docks, 14p District has limited authority