MENTOR, Ohio — The city of Mentor is in the process of devising a "master plan" to preserve land along the Lake Erie shoreline of the Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve.
"We're seeing approximately eight to 10 feet of loss of acreage every year," Mentor City Manager Kenneth Filipiak said.
Filipiak told 3News the 1 1/2-mile stretch along the shore is eroding, and the city says it's "unsafe for visitors." He added that the erosion is due to the increase in lake levels.
"When we have winters where the lake doesn't freeze over or it only freezes over only for a short period of time, you have that constant pounding of the waves against the shoreline," he explained.
The city installed rocks to prevent damage around Mentor Harbor, but this next project would cost the city millions of dollars.
"It's a major problem, and it's an expensive problem," Filipiak said. "It could exceed $10 million."
The "master plan" would allow the city to work on options to address the issue. Filipiak told us once they have the final outline of the proposal, the city would present it to groups like the Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the Army Corps of Engineers. Officials also created a survey for public input.
While the city hopes to address the erosion of the shoreline, administrators are also looking to promote the Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve and increase recreational activities around the area.