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MINUTES OF THE • , <br /> ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br /> Monday,July 22,2013 <br /> 7:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> (10. CITYLAKEACCESSES/FIRELANES, Continued) <br /> Mattick noted it is not common for the City to have fire lanes or roads that have been dedicated to the <br /> City that are closed and not open to the public. Mattick stated the City does not need to open the fire lane <br /> to the public, but once signage is erected,then the City does have an obligation to make sure it is ready to <br /> be used by the public. If there is an area where the Council decides there should be more access to the <br /> lake,the City should take the effort to make sure that it is signed and useable. <br /> Bremer asked if the City Attorney is saying that simply because it is public land,that does not mean that <br /> the public can use it. <br /> Mattick stated until the City decides to open it up for public use, it is not intended for public use and that <br /> the City can keep certain fire lanes closed until they elect to open it up for public use. <br /> Bremer stated the fire lanes that are open for public use should be identified. Bremer stated one of the <br /> major points for the fire lanes was to provide access to the lake. <br /> Mattick stated the City does not have to open all of the fire lanes. <br /> Bremer asked how they would be marked if they are not closed. <br /> Mattick indicated the City does not need to mark them closed. <br /> Bremer stated unless the City somehow designates them as closed,people who know they are there will <br /> assume they are open for public use. <br /> Mattick stated that situation is common,but if the City decides that the access is unsafe,the City has the <br /> right to close it and vice versa. <br /> McMillan asked what the necessary steps would be. <br /> Mattick indicated it would depend on the trail. If the City wants to designate it as a public trail,a sign <br /> could be erected showing that it is a fire lane, open to the public. Mattick stated as the City examines <br /> these fire lanes, if the public is using them,he would encourage the City to ensure they are passable. If <br /> there are areas that are not being used,there is nothing further that needs to be done. <br /> Bremer asked what effort the City has to make to differentiate between the two and what obligation the <br /> City has to mark them. <br /> Mattick stated if the City is aware of a fire lane that is being used by the public and it is unsafe,they <br /> would need to either close it or make it safer. <br /> Gaffron stated there are some fire lanes that are so steep that make it impossible to walk on. Gaffron <br /> indicated there is a situation where the City vacated the street but left a corridor to the lake, which is now <br /> being used as a drainageway. Gaffron indicated there are some accesses that are barely used and then <br /> there are some that are highly used, such as the swimming beaches. The City in those cases has a sign at <br /> the very end or a chain blocking access during the winter or a sign saying that access is only allowed in <br /> the winter. <br /> Page 16 of 20 <br />