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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, July 22, 2013 7:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 16 of 20 (10. CITY LAKE ACCESSES/FIRE LANES, Continued) Mattick noted it is not common for the City to have fire lanes or roads that have been dedicated to the City that are closed and not open to the public. Mattick stated the City does not need to open the fire lane to the public, but once signage is erected, then the City does have an obligation to make sure it is ready to be used by the public. If there is an area where the Council decides there should be more access to the lake, the City should take the effort to make sure that it is signed and useable. Bremer asked if the City Attorney is saying that simply because it is public land, that does not mean that the public can use it. Mattick stated until the City decides to open it up for public use, it is not intended for public use and that the City can keep certain fire lanes closed until they elect to open it up for public use. Bremer stated the fire lanes that are open for public use should be identified. Bremer stated one of the major points for the fire lanes was to provide access to the lake. Mattick stated the City does not have to open all of the fire lanes. Bremer asked how they would be marked if they are not closed. Mattick indicated the City does not need to mark them closed. Bremer stated unless the City somehow designates them as closed, people who know they are there will assume they are open for public use. Mattick stated that situation is common, but if the City decides that the access is unsafe, the City has the right to close it and vice versa. McMillan asked what the necessary steps would be. Mattick indicated it would depend on the trail. If the City wants to designate it as a public trail, a sign could be erected showing that it is a fire lane, open to the public. Mattick stated as the City examines these fire lanes, if the public is using them, he would encourage the City to ensure they are passable. If there are areas that are not being used, there is nothing further that needs to be done. Bremer asked what effort the City has to make to differentiate between the two and what obligation the City has to mark them. Mattick stated if the City is aware of a fire lane that is being used by the public and it is unsafe, they would need to either close it or make it safer. Gaffron stated there are some fire lanes that are so steep that make it impossible to walk on. Gaffron indicated there is a situation where the City vacated the street but left a corridor to the lake, which is now being used as a drainageway. Gaffron indicated there are some accesses that are barely used and then there are some that are highly used, such as the swimming beaches. The City in those cases has a sign at the very end or a chain blocking access during the winter or a sign saying that access is only allowed in the winter. Item #03 - CC Agenda - 08/12/2013 Approval of Council Minutes 07/22/2013 [Page 16 of 20]