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Committee narrows wording on Lake Ray Hubbard references to avoid implying new property rights
Summary
Members recommended replacing ‘access to Lake Ray Hubbard’ language with phrasing that emphasizes the lake as an amenity and the city’s role in highlighting adjacency, to avoid the implication that the comp plan creates new public-access rights on private waterfront.
Committee members reviewed language in the draft that referenced “access to Lake Ray Hubbard” and expressed concern that the phrase could be interpreted to grant new public-access rights where private property exists.
One member suggested removing the phrase “access to” and instead recognizing Lake Ray Hubbard as a key amenity in the city’s identity—phrasing such as “distinguish Heath as a city of unique attributes: Lake Ray Hubbard, abundance of parks” —so the plan recognizes the lake’s value without implying legal entitlements to private shorelines.
Other members noted existing lease arrangements where the city holds strips of shoreline (for example, Windward Trail adjacent to Cove Ridge), and said the plan should preserve and protect existing public access where it already exists. Staff agreed to change the wording to avoid implying that private property owners automatically owe public shoreline access.
The committee approved the wording change in principle and asked staff to ensure proposed language aligns with current leases and property rights.
