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Lake Oswego council directs manager to coordinate safety and access rules for Oswego Lake
Summary
After rejecting an appeal authorization, the council unanimously passed Resolution 25-18 directing the city manager to convene agencies and stakeholders to implement safety, water-quality, and time/place/manner rules for public access at Millennium Plaza, with a near-term schedule for rules and summer reporting.
The Lake Oswego City Council on March 31, 2025 unanimously adopted Resolution 25-18, directing the city manager to lead a coordinated effort with state and local partners to establish safety and access rules for Oswego Lake following a court judgment that the lake’s water is public.
Resolution 25-18 passed 7-0 after the council recessed and returned to consider the separate measure. The motion was made by Councilor Wendland and seconded by Councilor Verdict. Council members, staff and several public speakers emphasized public safety and water-quality protections as the council’s top priorities in implementing any new access.
What the resolution directs: The city manager and staff will convene the Lake Oswego Corporation, the Oregon State Marine Board, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and other relevant state and local agencies, plus affected stakeholders, to define time, place and manner rules for launching and accessing the lake from Millennium Plaza and other appropriate points.
Timing and reporting: During the meeting staff and several councilors expressed urgency. City staff said they would seek to have rules in place by April 15 and report back to council after the summer season; the resolution itself directs prompt action and a summer reporting schedule. Staff emphasized that some authorities — for example, boat-operation safety on the water — remain under state jurisdiction (Oregon State Marine Board) while the city retains responsibility for park safety and local law enforcement for crimes that occur within city limits.
City Manager Hannah Bennett (addressing the council as the city attorney had earlier framed public-comment procedures) said staff would work both on regulatory steps and “good neighbor practices” to encourage safe behavior by lake users. Bennett told council: “We are gonna try to convene some conversations about how can we all do together? ... we are also gonna be not just doing regulations, but we'll also be working with the Lake Corp and the Marine Board on what I think of as good best neighbor practices.”
Councilors said immediate coordination was necessary because warmer weather would prompt more lake use. Several speakers urged rapid action to protect water quality and public safety; others urged the city to collaborate to ensure private easement owners and Lake Oswego Corporation stewardship efforts continued to be respected. The resolution directs the city manager to bring key partners together to develop rules and communications so that people who use Millennium Plaza understand where and how they may enter the water, what safety equipment or sanitation requirements will apply, and how enforcement will be handled.
Outcome: Vote passed 7-0. The council’s action stops short of an appeal by the city and instead focuses municipal resources on coordinating safety, water-quality protections and public outreach in the immediate term.
Implementation items flagged in discussion included convening a stakeholder group, working with the Oregon State Marine Board on safety standards, exploring sanitation and invasive-species controls for watercraft, and preparing a summer monitoring and reporting plan for the council in September.
