http://www.tylerpaper.com/article/20110428/NEWS08/110429706Tyler City Council Adopts Lake Tyler Master Plan
By JACQUE HILBURN-SIMMONS
Staff Writer
Nature trails, bike paths, a new corporate gathering center and plenty of fun are envisioned for Lake Tyler, according to a master plan adopted Wednesday by the Tyler City Council.
The new Lake Tyler Master Plan prescribes treatments for the area that can transform it into a destination for eco-tourism and destination for recreation.
�We have a jewel,� Councilman Sam Mezayek said. �This plan can shine that jewel up.�
Adoption paves the way for the city to launch short-term and long-range planning for Lake Tyler, Lake Tyler East and surrounding properties owned by Tyler Water Utilities.
�We've been at this project almost two years,� City Manager Mark McDaniel said.
City staff, consultants and stakeholders culled through dozens of suggestions gleaned from meetings, surveys, mail-outs and neighborhood chats to find common ground.
Fort Worth-based Freese and Nichols, Inc. used the information to draft the plan, assisted by Planning Concepts, a Tyler urban planning firm, and the Leadership Roundtable, comprised of civic leaders and stakeholders.
The completed plan consists of 19 recommendations and 60 sub-recommendations that center on water quality, citizen benefits, city-property owner partnerships, recreation opportunities and other issues pertinent to the area.
�I saw this study as a big balancing act,� Freese and Nichols consultant Murphy Parks said. �There were obviously competing interests at the lake � what we have on the whole is agreeable to the stakeholders.�
Consultant Dan Sefko said the Lake Tyler Master Plan can guide development guide through the next decade and beyond.
�There is a church, a camp and petroleum club and we want to make sure they are successful,� he said. �We want to make sure the things that are around them contribute to that success.�
The master plan calls for managing aquatic vegetation, preserving city-owned land at the tributaries, expanding water quality sampling, increasing field monitoring and inspecting oil and gas well, records show.
Attention is also suggested for issues surrounding sewer service, erosion, sediment, pesticides, timber, water elevations, signage, development and public access.
Mark Priestner with Planning Concepts said efforts were made to examine issues that can improve existing amenities and promote new ones.
�Everybody who has been to Lake Tyler knows what a gem it is,� he said. �We want to protect it, but also promote it as a regional asset.�
The plan recommends redevelopment at Lake Tyler Marina and Hill Creek recreation area.
Chapman Park seems to hold the most potential, recommending areas for hiking, bird watching and launching canoes or kayaks, consultants said.
Priestner suggested the creation of a corporate retreat center in the bluffs overlooking the picturesque lakeside surroundings.
�It would have a tree-house feel,� he said. �The proximity to Lake Tyler Marina could make it great.�
A trail system is proposed for the east lake, and tributaries are to remain natural to serve as natural filtration, according to the master plan.
�Probably the strongest thread in all of this is that everyone acknowledged these lakes are the city's primary source of drinking water,� Parks said.
Increased sampling and monitoring is recommended to make sure the proposed development and reuse do not negatively impact water quality.
�Hydrilla came up very often,� he said. �It's an important topic.�
Treatment of hydrilla, described as an aquatic weed, should be pursued as needed.
Lakeside residents who desire more treatment should be provided with a list of qualified providers, the plan stated.
Tyler Water Utilities manager Greg Morgan said he was comfortable with the plan's components, saying, �I think this makes great strides in preserving water quality.�
Councilman Jason Wright questioned funding sources.
Public private partnerships and redevelopment of the marina are also possible funding sources, the city manager said.
As another funding option, the city may also forgo any new lease agreements to develop and sell property at market rates, McDaniel said.
Many Lake Tyler residents own their homes, but lease the land from the city on a perpetual lease agreement, city records show. Properties around Lake Tyler East are generally privately owned.
�The city receives about $55,000 a year for the residential leases,� Susan Guthrie, communications director, said. �Some people pay as little as $80 a year to lease their property while some pay as high as $750 a year.�
No drastic changes are suggested for existing lease agreements, but the city may assess special fees to cover issues such as water quality testing for aerobic sewer systems, Mezayek said.
David Stoner, who operates Lake Tyler Marina and R.V. Park, was the lone voice Wednesday opposing the plan's adoption.
Stoner said he took over the lease for the park in 2005 and opposes the recommended two-week maximum stay for campers.
Park stays range from a single day to several months or longer.
�No other R.V. park in the state of Texas operates that way,� Stoner said. �The marina is not self-supportive six months out of the year without R.V. parking.�
About one dozen roundtable members attended Wednesday's meeting to demonstrate unity for the project
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