Construction & Maintenance

Guidelines for docks, seawalls, and structures on SLCA property

All members, visitors and surrounding homeowners are expected to preserve and enhance the unique natural environment that SLCA's private lakes and woods provide our community. The SLCA Board established a Docks & Seawalls Committee to develop guidelines for the construction and maintenance of docks, seawalls, and other structures on or adjacent to SLCA property.

Published by committee October 2023 · Adopted by Board January 2024

Permit Process

Step 1

Design

'Visually Neutral' Plan

All construction should aim to be 'visually neutral' with the surrounding natural environment — utilizing dark natural colors, variated textures, and low construction heights.

Materials should blend with the existing landscape.

View Guidelines

Step 2

Submit

Communicate with SLCA

During your design phase, submit your intended plans to the SLCA Board using the form below. Include a site plan, images, material specifications, builder name, and proposed build date.

A board member will walk the site with you.

Submit Plans

Step 3

Maintain

Ongoing Maintenance

Maintain structures in good working order and visual appearance. All structure owners should be active SLCA members with financial contributions in good standing.

The Board may conduct periodic visual inspections.

Join SLCA

Detailed Guidelines

All proposed structures (e.g. lake wall) should:

Stand no higher than 12-18" above "full pool" wherever able. See Appendix A regarding the measurement process.
Be constructed from naturally occurring materials, i.e. natural wood or stone as the first option. Any composite materials proposed should have color and texture variations that visually mimic a naturally occurring material.
Be installed within the homeowner's property — not within the existing waterline.

In addition to the structure guidelines above, any proposed docks should:

Extend no further than 10' from the existing shoreline into SLCA waters.
Cover less than 120 square feet of surface area.
Be limited to one dock per property.

Submissions should include an information package with clear attachments covering:

Site plan with location of proposed structures
Image of proposed structure from a prior installation
Material specifications
Builder name
Proposed build date

An SLCA Board member will be available to walk the proposed site, view property stakes, photograph, and communicate with the property owner regarding any concerns.

Structures should be constructed in compliance with all local, state, and federal permitting requirements.

Property owners should notify the SLCA Board when construction is complete.

"Full Pool" is defined as the water level when reaching the base of the 5' wide trough at the dam spillway. The process for measuring the allowed height for a given point along the shoreline is:

While exercising great care and doing so at their own risk, adult homeowner or contractor must measure the difference between the current waterline and the defined Full Pool.
Individuals shall add or subtract that number to the 12-18" maximum height requirement for structures as detailed above — and mark the allowed height on stakes at every point along the proposed structure line.
All stakes shall then reflect this height requirement and construction can commence with all parties aware of the maximum height for the given structure.
The 12-18" height requirement is set for the safety of any individuals who may fall in the lake and need to climb to safety.

Ready to submit your plans?

Complete the form below to submit your construction permit request to the SLCA Board.

Contact Information

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Phone *

Street Address *

Construction Plan

Construction Type *

Seawall Dock Other

Site Plan *

Site plan with location of proposed structures. Max 25 MB.

Images

Images of proposed structure from a prior installation. Up to 5 files, max 5 MB each.

Materials *

Builder Name *

Proposed Build Date *

Consent

Permitting

I confirm to comply with all local, state, and federal permitting requirements.

Post-Construction

I confirm to notify SLCA when construction is complete. A board member will walk the site and confirm adherence to all previous measurements and specifications.

Maintenance

I confirm to maintain my structure in good working order and visual appearance consistent with these guidelines.

Membership Dues

I confirm to pay SLCA membership dues every year. All structure owners should be dues-paying SLCA members, committing to at least $500/year in financial contributions.

Permit Request Submitted

Thank you. A board member will review your submission and be in touch.