Patrolling the Pond, January 8, 2026. Beyond the First Ten Days
Mike Miller, VP Lake Lotawana Association
It turns out that the First Ten Days of winter were pretty darn nice! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season and had a chance to spend some quality time with family, friends, and found time to relax and rejuvenate. With the calendar turning to a new year, that can only mean we are a few days closer to spring and summer! As we ease into January, we got another reprieve with temps expected to be in the 60s! Yeah, it’ll be cooler later in the week and that’s ok. Frankly, we could use a little rain. When January comes in like a lamb, I’m good with it! There has been a fair amount of boat traffic on the lake that you just don’t usually see in late December or January. The mild weather has also prompted a lot of project starts as well. I ‘ve even have a few of my own right now. We will certainly see some winter weather, but I can imagine spring project planning is in full swing. It’s probably a good time for a bit of a review of what needs to happen before taking out the shovel or hiring a contractor. Planning and knowing what you need to do to ensure you are aligned with the Rules and Regulations is an important first step.
One of the best places to start before you start your project is Section IV of the Lake Lotawana Rules and Regulations. You can find those at lakelotawana.net/rules-and-regulations/ Construction permits are issued for larger projects by the Lake Improvement Board. You should also check with the city (or your contractor will) to see if permits are needed from them a well. Smaller projects can sometimes be approved by the staff at the office especially if replacement is the goal (Section IV, A, 9, page 24). I recently started a project to repair a retention wall that was about to fall over. It was like the leaning wall of Lotawana and needed to be fixed. It was minor enough project and replacement. It is NOT in the common area or parkway. Nonetheless, a permit was required. Fortunately, I worked with Jim from Absolute Masonry & Foundation and he filed the paperwork needed making the process simple. Local contractors and those use to doing work here (like Jim at Absolute Masonry) know what the requirements are for filing for permits with the Association and if necessary, the city. That said, YOU are responsible for filing the correct permits and paying the fees. The fees typically include the permit fee road impact fees. My advice? If you are planning to do any work over the winter or into early spring, call the office and find out what permits you need to do the work. This includes both work on the parkway and off the parkway. Almost all construction, replacement of walls, landscaping or other work requires some type of permit. Call before you start! It can save a lot of headaches down the road. An ounce of prevention is worth…well you know. And some project will require permits from the Lake Association and the City of Lake Lotawana. Again, your contractor should know what is needed. Or if you are DIY, the staff at the office is ready willing to help.
Section IV covers a lot of different scenarios you will want to review. It is a bit of a potluck of different uses of common areas and the parkway but has a lot of information on what is needed for projects and what the potential points could be assessed if the rules are not followed. One example is about trees on the parkway. If you think you need to remove a tree from the parkway with more than a 1-inch diameter, you need to get permission to do it. That requires filing for a permit (Section IV, D, 8, page 36). Also, while you can trim trees on the parkway, you should get the permission of your neighbors and the Association. If you have questions about a tree, call the office and they will likely send someone out to take a look.
Winter brings some of its own beauty to lake. The migratory birds and their cacophony of honking may not be a thing of beauty but it is, in its own way, nature’s way of sharing the uniqueness of each season. While the warmer weather pattern of the last few weeks has provided a lot of opportunity for activity that wouldn’t normally be part of December and January, colder weather is on the way. The First Ten days of winter are passed, and the days are already getting longer. No one knows what this winter will bring. I noticed how clear the water was yesterday. It’s like a sign of the lake at rest. Winter can bring rest and rejuvenation to a lake that sees its fair share of activity all year. Even in the raging honking of a flock of geese you can enjoy the beauty of nature at work and at rest. As we move beyond the First Ten Days of winter and the weather turns a little colder, I may not see you ON the pond but may see you near it.
Deadlines were quick to hit this week. The Safer Seven contest will be pushed to the next edition. Stay tuned to have some fun testing your knowledge of some of our rules and regulations and having the opportunity to win some gift certificates for Lotawana Merch.