Public Notices, Project Updates, and Alerts

 

1/17/25

Park District Headquarters will be closed in observance of the MLK holiday on Monday, January 20.

 

 

Key Updates from the January 7th Chippewa Lake Docking Meeting

Medina County Park District hosted a public meeting at Buffalo Creek Retreat on Tuesday, January 7. Approximately 100 people attended to learn about new, proposed docking rules for Chippewa Lake.

Since September, Commissioner Dennis Neate, Park Police Officer Andy Kellar, Administrative Secretary Donna Schrader, and Director Nathan Eppink met six times with a stakeholders group that included the following:

Debbie Horning (Chippewa Lake Water Show Ski Team), Doug Hurst (Chippewa Yacht Club), John Sandora (Chippewa Lake), Greg O'Connell (Gloria Glens), Brock Lemmon (Euclid Avenue), and the two individuals who administered watercraft stickers for the villages last year, Amber Dalakas and Sue Jira.

This committee discussed challenges to the existing docking 'program' and made recommendations that could be implemented before the 2025 boating season.

In the public meeting, the park district shared a first draft of the new, proposed docking rules, which are available here.

As drafted, overnight docking will be limited to residents of three lakeside communities, and it will no longer be necessary for individuals to pay to reinstate deeded rights that were not kept current. The document also includes details about dock placement and fees for annual watercraft stickers and annual dock registrations. The district intends to enter into new 20-year agreements with the communities for continued administration of annual watercraft stickers starting this year.

Public input is welcome by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with "Chippewa Docking" in the subject line. Additionally, meetings of the park board are open to the public. A schedule of upcoming meetings is posted here.

"We were very pleased by the turnout," Director Eppink said of the public meeting at Buffalo Creek. "Overwhelmingly, we heard two things--keep docks as-is for this year, meaning don't allow dock owners to make changes or extend them, and to reconsider the minimum distance between dock structures. We'll absolutely regroup with the stakeholders and incorporate those suggestions into a second draft," Eppink said.

Once the rules are finalized and approved by the board, a succinct summary must be publicized in The Gazette for two consecutive weeks. The rules, then, would become effective 10 days after the second advertisement. Eppink said a final version of the rules will be presented to park commissioners for a vote, most likely in February or March.

 

 

 

 

Please note that Oenslager Nature Center will be closed from January 1 through 9 for annual maintance. Susan Hambley Nature Center will also be closed on January 4 and 5 for cleaning. Trails at both sites will remain OPEN from 6 a.m. to one hour past sunset.