Should Lake County forest district keep pier rights for Lake Marie?

Boating season isn't imminent but the Lake County Forest Preserve District faces a decision that years from now could affect access to its property on Lake Marie near Antioch.

Forest commissioners are considering options for four remaining boat pier rights it controls on Lake Marie, a forest preserve in name only that likely won't open for public use for at least 10 years.

The forest district acquired the right to 45 boat piers when it bought the former Lake Marie Camp property, west of Route 59 and north of Beach Grove Road, in 2012.

Forty-one pier rights were sold at auction for $2,000 each in 2015, under direction from the forest preserve board's planning committee. The district kept four because it wasn't sure of Lake Marie's status in the future.

Pier rights on the Chain 'O Lakes are regulated by the Army Corps of Engineers and can be used anywhere in the northern chain region. But they are a use-it-or-lose-it commodity.

The forest district received an extension from the Army Corps for the 2016 and 2017 boating seasons. Barring a long-term extension from the Army Corps, the district now has to install the four remaining piers or dispose of the rights by the upcoming boating season.

The question is whether having piers at Lake Marie would create a party spot on property that isn't open to the public.

On the other hand, some type of lake access was the intent when the property was purchased. Reaction was mixed Monday during a planning committee discussion.

Commissioner Linda Pedersen, who represents the area, said the rights should be kept as a future option.

"I understand the predicament we're in but I don't want us to be saying we gave up our pier rights so we're not going to put any piers in," she added.

Piers can be expensive but "place holder" structures wouldn't be, according to Mike Tully, chief operations officer.

"They could be replaced with higher-end models later if that is the direction the board wants to take," he said.

Executive Director Ty Kovach said the district also has the right to install a fishing pier as a public amenity at Lake Marie, and likely would be able to purchase pier rights for boats in the future, if needed.

There had been an informal plan for a gravel entry road, parking lot and grass trails at Lake Marie but no improvements have been made. Funding for any work there isn't anticipated in the district's current 10-year project forecast, Tully said.

Board President Ann Maine said officials didn't promise piers at Lake Marie but it could be a topic for future discussion even if the district sells its rights.

"Just because we don't have any piers does not preclude a conversation of having piers there," she said.

Tully was directed to check with the Army Corps to determine whether another extension is possible.