Spring has officially sprung around the waters of Lake Minnetonka. Winter has finally melted away and so has all the ice. Now is a time of transition. For many of us around the lake, this means preparing for a summer full of fun, and the first step we usually like to take at this exciting time of the year is to put in our docks. Whether it is your first time putting in your dock or your hundredth time, each of us could always use some reminders to help us when we decide to put our docks in. The following are a just a few reminders that we, at the LMCD, would like you and your family to remember:
- Know your extended side property lines. Extended side property lines are where your side property lines on land extend into the lake. These are important for determining setbacks from adjacent properties. A property survey may indicate these, but if a property survey is not available, property markers/stakes may exist and can be used to determine your side property lines.
- Your dock, structures, watercraft, and other items should be located within an Authorized Dock Use Area. An authorized dock use area is the area in the lake which may be used for docks, moorings, boat storage, swimming floats, ski jump storage, or diving towers, as determined by setbacks from the extended side property lines that extend into the lake. The illustration below provides an example of a typical dock use area.
- Know the watercraft density for your property. As a general rule, you can store one (1) watercraft per 50 feet of continuous shoreline, regardless of ownership. Additionally, you are allowed to store two (2) watercrafts if your property was in existence on 08/30/1978 regardless of ownership. You may also store up to 4 or 5 watercrafts if your property meets certain requirements, you obtain a licenses from the LMCD, and you meet code conditions.
For more information on residential docks, structures, watercraft storage, setbacks and other items, please visit our Lakeshore Owners page or view our Residential Dock Requirements Handout.
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