News & Events
Simonton Lake HOA Safety & Environmental Committee Meeting Notice!
Wednesday, April 26, 2017 | 6:30 PM | Simonton Lake Sportsmen's Club
Purpose of the meeting: A public forum to address DNR Letter Regarding Permanent Piers on Simonton Lake.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has recently sent a letter to a number of lake residents in reference to what appear to be permanently installed piers along the lakeshore.
In short, the letter states that permanent piers alter the shoreline, which is not allowed under the Lake Preservation Act (14-26-2). However, the Public Freshwater Lakes rules and regulations (312 IAC 11-1-3) establish requirements for temporary (removable) piers - which are allowed if properly installed. The letter’s suggested solution is to replace “permanent” piers with qualified “temporary” ones.
The official tone of the letter has given rise to concern among recipients. We have been in contact with DNR and have been assured that this is a preliminary letter to explain the problem and request voluntary compliance - not a formal Notice of Violation. Also, the only subject under review is pier construction; it does not extend to seawalls, or anything else.
DNR has agreed to waive the 14-day response period stipulated in the letter. This will allow us to host a public forum for interested residents to further discuss the situation and explore solutions. There will be a DNR representative at the meeting to answer questions.
We would also suggest that you bring the following information with you, if available:
- The approximate date/time period when your pier was built, along with any photographs or written testimony to back up the installation date.
- The name of the installing contractor, or other builder, if known.
