Tanyard Creek:

Until recently, there was some question about the nature trail at Tanyard Creek being open to the public. Now, POA senior staff agree that the trails are not actually public, although the public has been using them.

The land, POA attorney Doug McCash confirmed in an email, is owned by Cooper Communities Inc., but leased and operated by the POA.

"It is private property intended to be restricted to members and not officially open for public use," McCash wrote.

At Thursday's Board meeting General Manager Tommy Bailey explained that only a few amenities have been opened to the public through a board vote. The bike trails at Blowing Springs are open to the public. They were built with grant money, not POA funds. Also each of the Clubhouse restaurants is open to the public.

According to the POA website, the two-mile trail at Tanyard Creek was constructed by volunteers. A volunteer group still helps keep the trail cleaned up and that's become more difficult as the trail has gained popularity. Carol Bobek, one of the volunteers, said her group has seen an increase in litter recently.

There are some trash cans available along the trail, Lakes and Parks Superintendent Vern Olafson said, but people should plan to "pack out" whatever they "pack in." Emptying trash cans and picking up litter takes a lot of man-hours, he said, and his department doesn't have any extra man-hours.

Although the trails are not open to the public, the POA has not enforced that policy in the area, Olafson said. As long as users are behaving themselves and staying on the trails, they won't be stopped at Tanyard Creek or while walking on the dams in Bella Vista.

Bailey said manpower is part of the reason that the POA's Lake Rangers were told not to enforce "Members Only" rules on the trails and dams. He said that decision was made over five years ago.

Although he has heard complaints about litter and some rude behavior on the trails, so far it hasn't been too bad, he said.

The parking lot has been full on weekends and it's up to the board to decide if it will be expanded or not. The full parking lot may help limit trail use, he pointed out.

Rangers won't enforce "Members Only" rules on the trails, but they will enforce them at the pavilions, fishing docks or other amenities around the trails, Olafson said.

If a lake ranger sees people using amenities, they will stop and ask to see a membership card.