Journal Staff
Sarnia is buying up three pieces of lakefront property in Bright’s Grove and making the shoreline public again.
The city and St. Clair Regional Conservation Area have been working to protect the shoreline between Pine and Penhuron Drive to prevent Old Lakeshore Road from falling into Lake Huron.
Written consent must be obtained from the property owners that own the shoreline on the lake side of the road, which is normally a simple process, according to a recent staff report.
However, the owners of the three parcels died decades ago and the land was overlooked when the estate administration took place, likely because high water levels left most of the land underwater, staff said.
The estate trustees are willing to transfer the land to the city at no cost, other than about $3,000 in legal fees.
The three lots are east, west and directly in front of Penhuron Road and are about as wide as 10 properties facing Old Lakeshore Road.
An armour-stone groyne will be built into the lake to create new beach and stairs installed to provide public access to the water, the city said.
