Buckeye Lake homeowners told to remove docks by Nov. 1

COLUMBUS – All private property along the Buckeye Lake Dam must be removed by Nov. 1 in preparation for construction, a letter from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources says.

Everything must be removed at the owner’s expense, the ODNR letter states.

The letter was mailed Tuesday, so even on Tuesday afternoon, residents still had not seen the letter, said Tim Ryan, who owns a home on North Bank.

Construction at some points along the dam could begin as early as this month, the letter stated.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources told Buckeye Lake residents in April that no more construction would be allowed by residents along the dam.

“Additional guidance will be provided in regards to dock removal in anticipation of the dam being replaced,” the April letter said.

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On Tuesday, those further instructions were mailed out by the ODNR to residents living on the Buckeye Lake Dam. All docks, patios, decks and other private structures have to be removed by Nov. 1.

“We are happy to work with residents on the removal of their docks so that we can get construction started as soon as possible, but we are not comfortable with liability should damage occur during the removal process,” said Bethany McCorkle, communications director for the ODNR. “For those residents who want to ensure the condition of their dock, they may wish to hire a contractor to remove their structure properly.”

“We are currently pursuing bids to better understand the cost of removing the docks, and we are exploring all options to minimize or eliminate the potential costs to residents,” McCorkle added. “We should know soon.”

Beginning in November, a 6-foot-high fence will run the length of the dam as a construction safety measure, the letter states.

“To prevent items belonging to you from becoming stranded behind the fence, we ask you to remove all your personal property from state land situated generally between the lake and the homes along the dam crest,” the letter states.

Any remaining personal property will be removed by the ODNR, the letter said. Docks and decks may be stored for a period of time before ultimately being disposed of.

Residents can sign a waiver that will allow the ODNR to remove and discard their personal property on the dam.

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