Politics & Government

Trustees Hope Security Gate Deters Atwater Beach Trespassers

After years of resident complaints over trespassers, discussion came to a head Monday when officials decided on a new place for a security gate at Atwater Beach and Park.

Following years of discussion and complaints from North Lake Drive residents of trespassing onto privately owned land adjacent to Atwater Beach, village officials on Monday gave the go-ahead for a new security gate at .

Fences running along the north and south edge of Atwater Beach were taken down in 2009. The village’s Parks Commission β€” citing a citizen group's concern that the ugly chain-linked barrier ruined the aesthetics on the beach and officials saying it was falling apart β€” approved their removal.

Soon after, became a daily occurrence on their private property. Other problems reported included underage drinking, drug use, littering, people leaving behind broken glass and syringes, theft, unattended fires, vandalism and sex.

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Officials considered putting the fences back up, initially from agencies that typically have jurisdiction over placing fencing on public beach property. The state Department of Natural Resources later advised the village to refrain from re-erecting the fence.

if it decided to re-erect fencing which denied the public the right to access navigable waterways uniform with the public trust doctrine.

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On Monday, officials agreed to go to Plan B: placing an ornamental gate on the steps down to the beach, which would be locked after the beach is closed.

The gate would be installed on the first landing on the steps down to Atwater beach and feature signs notifying beach-goers they are trespassing. Police or village Department of Public Works employees would likely lock the gate at sunset and unlock it at sunrise. The gate is expected to go up by June and the design is still being discussed.

Village Manager Chris Swartz said he will bring bids to the Village Board on the gate.

Signs informing beach-goers "the beach ends here, respect your neighbors' rights" are expected to be posted soon on the north and south edge of the beach.

Swartz said another option is to install an electronic lock, with a timer that would automatically lock and unlock at appropriate times.

Officials say they are also considering placing thorny bushes around the stair gate and northern portion of the bluff above the service road to discourage illegal access.


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