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CMP Part 4A. Transportation Plan LAKE ACCESS PRESERVATIONAND MANAGEMENT With more than 40 miles of Lake Minnetonka shoreline and nearly 5 miles of additional lake shorelines, Orono's lakes provide a significaat recreational resource for all Orono residents, not just for those who own property abutting the lakes. This value was long ago realized by the City fathers,as well as by eazly land developers. 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 shoreland developed. T'hese 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. The historic level of use of these right-of-ways (sometimes refened to as "fire lanes" or "lake access roads") ranges from minimal to year-round. Certain of these corridors have been maintained by the City for local swimming beaches or as winter snowmobile and ice-fishing accesses. Certain accesses are provided with docks for fishing, and some have ramp azeas suitable for launching a small boat. However, most do not have designated pazking available, and aze primarily intended to serve the neighborhood rather than the general public. A number of these access corridors have steep topography and experience a relatively low level of usage. The value of these corridors to the general public both now and in the future is too great to be measured. While an access corridor or fire lane may appear to an adj acent landowner as abandoned, there may well be a future public need for that corridor that may not be obvious today. The Minnesota Supreme Court in 1944 (Application of Baldwin, et al No. 33721 for vacation of a platted dedicated lake access road) upheld the value of retaining the public's right to access the lake. In an excerpt from the findings of the Court: "This court requires no proof that Lake Minnetonka ts a priceless heritage of the people of Mfnnesota, to be preseived and passed on to posterity. Judicial notice will be taken of theJact that tt is one of the most preclous jewels in the str�ieg ojTen Thousand Lakes of which Minnesota is so jusily proud.. Because of�ts wtde expanse and proximlty to our metropolitan areas, �t Ls much frequented and used for boating,,fTshing,picnicktng and bathtng - perhaps more tlian any other lake ln the state. Its sliore line of nearly 100 ntiles is dotted with permanent komes and summer cottages,not only at its wat¢rs edge,but extending far back from the shore. But the use of the lake is not conftned to dwellers on tts shore or nearby. During the summer season especiaUy, it 3s the mecca for thousands upon thousands of urbanites, noi so fortunate as to possess a lake ho►ne, who-young and old alike-seek its shores and wate�s for diverse recreational purposes. To those who do not tndulge In active recreation, it aJfords tl:e opportunity oJcommuning witli nature ai its bes� WitJi ihe t'ncrease in the p¢rmanent City of Orono Community Management Plan � Page 4A-32 September 2000