Pike Lake public access point to stay, property owner drops issue

HARTFORD, Wis. - The plan to close a Pike Lake public access point has sunk.

At a town of Hartford meeting on Tuesday night, the property owner who wanted to have the road to that access point closed off dropped the issue. Neighbors wanted the road to remain as the town's property, so everybody could access the lake there.

Tammy Jung owns the two lots surrounding the road to that access point. She had asked the town to officially abandon the Second Street road, which would revert the land to her ownership. Survey maps showed Jung's two lots ending just before the access road.

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The town’s attorney said there’s no deed that ever gave the land to the town. But it’s considered a prescriptive easement; when the public uses it over the course of 20 years, it becomes open to the public to use. That’s what appears to have happened in this case.

The issue drew broad support – roughly 100 people attended a February meeting – in the small town. With Tuesday night's decision, the town will instead look into ways to improve the access point. No timetable was set for when any improvements could take place.

The access point is one of three on Pike Lake, and it is free to the public.