Debate over Oak Swamp Reservoir access heats up

As summer approaches, public access to Oak Swamp Reservoir is becoming a heated topic.

During last week’s Town Council meeting, lakefront and nearby residents continued to raise concerns about whether the lake was private or public, and how that status would affect its use by taxpayers.

“I think that we can all agree that democracy requires compromise. That doesn’t seem to be the case with Oak Swamp Reservoir,” said Arlene Parisella of Hill Drive. “The lakefront people want to prohibit access to all of the people who don’t live on the lake. I have a few problems with that.”

Alan Barnes of Shore Drive, vice president of the recently formed lakefront association for the reservoir, stated: “We’re not trying to prevent people from using the lake. What we’re trying to do is bring to the town’s attention the problems we’ve been having with trespassers, with garbage, with the roads being blocked. There’s no problem with people kayaking, swimming, walking, whatever they’re doing, that’s fine, they have the right to do that. They don’t have the right to block the road, to shoot heroin, and throw dirty diapers and leave their garbage around. It’s impacting our quality of life.”

Last fall, the Oak Swamp dam was repaired after it was designated unsafe by the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) in 2009. Both the dam and the land under the lake are owned by the town.

Completed work included vegetation removal, erosion repair, installation of a new spillway, and a new outlet valve. A fence was also installed along the dam that now prevents access by trespassers and traps debris that can deposit on Reservoir Avenue.

During a wrap-up meeting held in December that detailed the completed repairs, concerns arose from residents who live nearby to the lake but not directly on it regarding access to the water for recreation. Some residents believe that small access areas along the lake allowed for local, neighborhood usage.

“There’s nothing in your deed that says you have a right to get into that lake,” answered Mayor Joseph Polisena at the time, citing liability issues. “If you have something in your deed, then you have a right to go in there. Check your deed.”

Residents took issue with the proposed restrictions, and asked for clarification at last week’s council meeting.

“The comment by the mayor was that he wanted to restrict liability. That’s kind of laughable. Let’s start with Johnston Memorial Park, then we can go to Woodlake. How about Snake Den and the dog park? There’s just no argument there,” Parisella said. “You said the town of Johnston owns the lake. We can’t restrict someone going into Memorial Park because they live in Connecticut. I understand there should be some type of limits, but again, we all need to be involved in making those rules, not just a select few behind closed doors.”

“I started an online petition that has 130 virtual signatures on change.org, but I felt this wasn’t enough and I needed to reach out to my community, so I walked door to door and got 100 signatures from within my neighborhood,” added Brittany Valentine of Hilltop drive, who stated she had a license and registered jet ski that she bought specifically for the lake. “I share the same concerns that [lakefront owners] do. I don’t want heroin users in my neighborhood, I don’t want parents leaving their kids’ dirty diapers in my neighborhood, but I feel like we could create a unified organization that could clean up the lake and make it peaceful for the community. Anything would be better than only allowing lakefront property owners in and shutting the rest of the town of Johnston off.”

Robert Vacca, who lives directly next to an access right of way into the lake, stated he was tired of the problems that surround the site’s use.

“I’ve been dealing with this everyday, and at this point it’s out of control. I wake up in the morning, open my shades, and there’s a truck right there with a trailer,” he said. “Can we get this back to normalcy, so I can enjoy my house? We’re not saying that we want the lake to ourselves, that’s not it. It’s just become such a nuisance, I mean it’s crazy.”

The issue of greatest importance to lakefront owners was traffic congestion and having proper access to rescue vehicles should the need arise.

“The mayor has told me in no uncertain terms that he is not going to restrict anyone’s legal access to the lake. The big problem that we’re having is boat trailers parked in the road,” said Barnes, who added there are no public boat ramps at the access way. “Last year, there was a professional bass boat tournament on the lake, there were six boat trailers parked on each side of the road, and I almost couldn’t get to my house as a result of that.”

Barnes recommended the council enact a parking ban for boat trailers on Shore Drive and the surrounding finger roads leading to Steere Drive.

Councilwoman Stephanie Manzi, who represents the area, believed further information was necessary in clarifying the situation.

“Well I think that what’s going to happen after we hear from everyone tonight is that there’s going to be some items referred to the town solicitor’s office, because we’re going to need some clarification on the easements, what they count for,” Manzi said. “I know the people on the lake have formed an association, they have the legal right to do that. I don’t think they’re trying to restrict anyone who has deeded rights or anyone from using the lake.”

In an interview following the council meeting, Polisena offered insights into the lake’s access. Fences and a swing arm gate have recently been installed at the access point on Shore Drive.

“I really don’t know what the policy was there, it was a haphazard policy. What I’m trying to do is I’m trying to make it safe because the issue is [residents] have spoken about the horrible things that can go on there. We’ve got people on websites that are saying it’s a great place to fish, and it brings people in from all over the state and beyond,” he said.

“My concern is if trailers are parked and blocking that ramp, and there’s a young kid out there drowning and the fire department gets there and it’s blocked, minutes can mean a life. We’d get sued so far into oblivion that we’d never find our way out,” he continued. “We’re putting up a gate [at the access points] so if people want to slide a canoe in, they can. We’re not putting ‘no trespassing’ signs, we’re trying to make the area safer for public safety. I don’t believe that people from Connecticut should be coming to that lake and parking their vehicles blocking traffic. I’m not looking to keep people out, I’m looking to keep people safe.”