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Frequently Asked Questions

General LOC Topics

Q. Can I attend the LOC Board of Directors meetings?
A. An Open Forum session will be held prior to the regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting each month (normally the second Tuesday of the month). The session will be up to 30 minutes in duration. The purpose will be to receive shareholder input either in the form of questions addressed to the Board or in the form of presentations. In the case of presentations, please specify the duration.

Attendance will be on a request basis only so we can be sure there are adequate facilities and time for attendees. Requests will be taken by Dave Janney at the LOC office on behalf of the Board. Requests need to be made at least 3 days before the meeting. A confirmation of attendance will be provided at least 48 hours before the meeting. There is space for about 10 attendees. In the case where there are more requests than space and/or time available allow, preference will be given to new requesters who have not previously had an opportunity to attend. No formal minutes will be published from the Open Forum sessions. The sessions will be open to shareholders only.

 
Q. What is the combination to open the gate at the Bob Briedé Millennium Park Moorage?
A. The combination is 1234. If you have trouble getting the code to work, try turning the knob all the way clockwise, then all the way counter-clockwise. This clears any previous button pushing. Now enter the code and turn the knob to open the gate.
 
Q. When is my assessment due?
A. Your assessment invoice will arrive by mail in January and is due by March 31st. It is for the calendar year billed, from January 1st of the year through December 31st.
 
Q. How is my assessment rate determined?
A. Assessment rates are based on the number of linear feet of lake frontage. Rates go up in 10 foot increments from 60 to 210 feet of frontage.
 

For Newcomers to the Lake

Q. I’m a new lakefront property owner. What are the steps to getting my boat on the lake?
A.

1. You must be current with state regulations; current boat tags and each operator (70 years old and younger) in possession of an Oregon State Marine Board (OSMB) Boater Education Card. You will need to pass a written test to receive this card. Go to www.boatoregon.com and follow the path to OSMB Boater Education Card. We need a copy of your Boater Education Card (or equivalent certificate) for our files.

2. If you are a new owner of the boat, you must supply a copy of the temporary certificate of number.

3. To be eligible for Oswego Lake licensing, you must first be current with regards to your annual assessment. Assessments are invoiced annually, mailed out in January, and are due by the end of March. The cost is determined by the number of feet of waterfront in your lot.

4. Prior to licensing a power boat, we require a current valid certificate of boater's insurance on file at the Marina office. The minimum liability requirement is $500K. We request that the LOC be listed as an "additional insured party" on the policy. We require that all boat operators pass LOC written and practical driving tests. The written exam comes out of information in the LOC Rules and Handbook. Copies are available at our office. Practical exams (boat driving tests) are scheduled through our office, typically during the months April through September. All boat drivers must have a Lake Oswego Operator's License.

5. Your boat must have a properly displayed Lake Oswego boat license. Both the boat and operator licenses are renewed annually.

6. The maximum boat length is 22 feet. The maximum weight is 3500 lbs dry unit weight.

7. One powerboat license is included in Shareholders' Common Lake Maintenance Fee, paid yearly with the assessment. Additional powerboat licenses for Shareholders are $400 per powerboat. Powerboat licenses for Easement members are $400 per powerboat. To license a non-powered boat, the fee is $20 per boat for both Shareholders and Easement members.

8. No wake enhancement devices of any kind are allowed on the lake. Boats with wake enhancement devices must have them disabled according to LOC approved guidelines by an LOC certified boat mechanic prior to being licensed. Owners of these boats must also sign an agreement not to use wake enhancement devices on the lake.

9. The ramp fee is $10.00 for both entry and exit unless both entry and exit occur on the same day.

10. To minimize the risk of introducing non-native plants into the lake, first-time boats coming on the lake must be decontaminated at an LOC authorized facility. R & M Marine and FMC Watersports are the two facilities authorized for decontaminating standard boats. West Coat Classic Boat Restoration is the decontamination facility authorized for wooden boats.

 

About Water Quality

Q. Why don’t we lower the lake anymore?
A. Lowering the lake was determined in an in-depth, independent study to be doing extensive, long term damage to the lake. Many decades of this practice have added 50 feet of sediment to the lake bottom in some areas. Canals and bays have had to be dredged to offset the sediment load. An aeration system was installed to trap the tons of phosphorus that are mixed in with the sediment. It is estimated that refilling the lake via the Tualatin brings the equivalent of 650 dump truck loads of sediment into the lake.

Refilling from the Tualatin River adds literally tons of phosphorus to the lake. Some have asked why we don't "flush" out bad water and bring in "fresh" water. Our water sampling shows we have substantially less phosphorus in the lake than there is in the river.

 

About Boating and Water Safety

Q. Who do I call if I want to reach Lake Patrol?
A. In an emergency dial 911. They will dispatch the proper emergency services. For non-emergencies in progress, such as notifying patrol of a reckless boater, unlicensed watercraft on the lake, etc., call the Lake Patrol at 503-810-5411. For non-emergencies after the fact, call our front desk at 503-636-1422, ext 1. We will fill out a complaint report and make sure it gets to the proper authority.
 
Q. What about registration number and sticker placement?
A. The Oregon State Marine Board provides rules on registration number and registration sticker placement. See OSMB sticker placement
 
Q. Is there a new rule that states you must have a whistle in a pedal boat?
A. State law requires that all boats have a noise maker on board in case of emergency. This not only applies to smaller crafts (pedal boats, canoes and kayaks) but also makes good sense. Often it is the passengers of the smaller boats that get into trouble and need to get someone's attention with a noisemaker. A whistle or an air horn will meet this requirement and make for safer boating.
 
Q. Since Oswego Lake is a private lake, why am I required to carry a fishing license?
A. Although Lake Oswego has private access, activities on it need to adhere to the laws of the State Marine Board and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Just as registration numbers are required on our boats, fishing licenses are required for anglers 13 and above.
 
Q. Why do I need to have my boat and trailer steam cleaned prior to launch?
A. There are a number of invasive plants in other bodies of water, such as the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, which are not currently in the lake. Milfoil is an example of one that grows rapidly and costs a great deal of money to keep from spreading. Requiring boats and trailers to be steam cleaned prior to launch is our best defense in keeping new invasive plant problems out of our lake.
 
Q. When I pull my boat from the lake, why do you require a wire tie between the boat and trailer?
A. The wire tie is our way of monitoring boats and trailers coming in and out of the lake to determine whether they need to be steamed cleaned. If the wire tie is left intact, it says that the boat has not left the trailer and so has not been launched in another body of water. It therefore does not need to go through the steam cleaning prior to launch.
 
Q. What is the combination to open the gate at the Bob Briedé Millennium Park Moorage?
A. The combination is 1234. If you have trouble getting the code to work, try turning the knob all the way clockwise, then all the way counter-clockwise. This clears any previous button pushing. Now enter the code and turn the knob to open the gate.
 

About Easements and Lakefront Development

Q. How do I find out if my property has deeded access to an easement?
A. Call our office at 503-636-1422, ext 1. We have the database of properties with deeded rights. Give us your address and we can get you an answer quickly.
 
Q. How do the easements work?
A. There are 20 easements that allow lake privileges through deeded access to over 3,000 homes around the lake. Deeded access was granted by the original property owner, Oregon Iron and Steel, as they platted their lake and surrounding property. Each easement has its own board of directors, amenities, and fees structure. After calling our office to find out which easement or easements you are eligible to join, see Easements   to get contact information.
 
Q. My easement has a waiting list for getting a boat slip. Do I have any other options for getting my boat on the lake?
A.

Yes. If you are current in paying easement dues, you can moor your boat at Griffen/May Company, located in the two story office building down by our marina. They might also have a waiting list, but typically their slips turn over more rapidly than those at the easements. Call Chris Brynelson at (503) 635-8844, ext 14 for more information.

You also have the option to "day use' the lake. Limitations are: 1) You must pull your boat from the lake prior to our closing, 7PM nightly during summer hours. 2) We have nowhere to park your car and trailer on the premises. 3) Boats entering the lake must either be decontaminated at R & M Marine, FMC Watersports or West Coat Classic Boat Restoration (for Wooden boats) before launch, or must be wire clipped to trailer denoting that they have not been in any other body of water since the last time they were in the lake. The contact info for these decontamination sites can be found Here.

 
Q. Can I join any easement on the lake?
A.

No. You can only join the easement, or in some cases easements, that were designated to your property in the original granting deeds. We can supply that information to you by calling our office at 503-636-1422, ext 1.