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Board weighs safety, liability before expanding swimming at Miners Lake
Summary
Board discussed possibilities for a swim area by the Miners Lake boat landing but noted safety risks, boat-launch adjacency, parking congestion, and shoreland setbacks; no action was taken.
The Ely Park and Recreation Board discussed whether to promote informal swimming near Miners Lake's boat landing but did not approve constructing a swim dock on June 10.
Planning and Zoning Administrator Scott Kochendorfer said the boat landing area contains underwater trees and quarry-like features that can make swimming dangerous, and that swimming is not allowed adjacent to the public boat launch. He noted the city enforces a 75-foot building-setback requirement on the lake, and that the city is the local governing authority for shoreland work on Miners Lake because it is not DNR-designated.
The board expressed concern about parking congestion near the landing and potential safety and liability exposures if a swim dock were installed. Kochendorfer suggested other flatter, safer lake areas could be considered in future planning but are less accessible; the board agreed to monitor demand rather than make immediate changes.
