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Bullhead City council votes to close two river spillways after residents cite safety, crime concerns
Summary
Council adopted an ordinance and resolution to amend the municipal code and permanently close Lakeside Drive and Riverview Gardens river access points after residents described recurring trespass, drug activity and hazards at narrow spillways.
Bullhead City Council on May 6 adopted an ordinance (2025-6) and a companion resolution (2025R-22) to close two street-end river access points—Lakeside Drive and Riverview Gardens—and to codify the closures in the city's public-access code.
Mayor Steve D'Amico and several council members said the two locations are narrow, near private homes, and have become repeated sources of public-safety complaints. Council Member Head described attempting to use Lakeside Drive as a swimming spot and being forced onto private property by current, and other council members noted that the sites attract nighttime activity and create hazards at the bottom of the spillway.
Residents who live alongside Lakeside detailed incidents they said occurred because the spillway had an open, unfenced entry. Susan Mendonca, who lives on Lakeside, thanked staff for ongoing outreach and said she and neighbors had repeatedly reported problems. Gina Nagy described what she said had become a pattern of trespass and hazardous conduct: "We saw something under our dock, and we pulled it out. ... it was a dog that someone put stones in there and sunk. So it's just been all these things," Nagy said, describing garbage, needles and people living on or near the spillway.
Opponents to closure argued that the ends of city streets are public property and cautioned about broader precedent; one speaker called the council's authority into question. Council members and staff replied that these are city streets and that the council has authority over street ends, and that the two specific locations had become safety and nuisance problems.
Staff said Lakeside is a narrow channel more appropriate for flood conveyance than as a recreational access point and that other larger access points would remain open and be maintained. Public Works and City Manager staff told council they would continue maintenance and that the other river-access sites would be evaluated individually if petitions to modify them are later submitted.
The ordinance and resolution passed on a recorded vote. Council instructed staff to codify the closures and remove the two access points from the city's public access list in Title 15 (Public Access to Colorado River). The vote recorded in the meeting video was unanimously in favor.
