City of Mound – Lake Minnetonka Bays

Located on the west side of Lake Minnetonka

The City of Mound is home to some of the most beautiful and active bays on Lake Minnetonka. These waters are a shared public resource, and decisions about their management affect over 1000 lakeshore property owners, as well as the entire Mound community.

Mound residents have already shown strong leadership in protecting our lake – with the City Council voting NO to forming a Lake Improvement District (LID) on Harrison Bay. This was the right decision to keep unnecessary taxation, liability, and harmful chemical treatments away from our community.

🌊 Bays in Mound

  • Harrison Bay
  • Cook’s Bay
  • Seton Lake (Seton Channel)
  • Emerald Lake
  • Lost Lake
  • Phelps Bay
  • Priest’s Bay
  • Jennings Bay
  • Halstead’s Bay

(Other Mound lakes: Langdon Lake, Dutch Lake, Saunders Lake – not part of Lake Minnetonka but within the city limits.)

⚠️ Why Mound Should Oppose LIDs

  • Unfair Taxation: A LID would impose mandatory property taxes on all lakeshore and deeded access homes, regardless of agreement.
  • Shifted Liability: Responsibility for decisions and damages (such as herbicide impacts) moves from the State and DNR onto Mound, the LID board, and local property owners.
  • City Resources at Risk: Managing a LID diverts city staff and budget toward a state-owned public lake, which is outside Mound’s jurisdiction. The LMCD and DNR are already tasked with lake management.
  • Precedent for Other Bays: If one bay forms a LID, others may follow — leading to multiple taxing districts across Mound’s nine bays.

🐟 Ecological Concerns

The Harrisons Bay Association has historically used herbicides like Diquat, Fluridone, and ProcellaCOR. These chemicals:

  • Harm fish populations, especially Walleye and panfish.
  • Contribute to algae blooms and low oxygen levels when weeds are killed and decay.
  • Pose unknown long-term risks to children, pets, and wildlife.

Mound has several fishing piers, and many residents depend on the lake for recreation and food. Protecting fish habitat is protecting the community’s way of life.

🏛 City of Mound Council

The Mound City Council represents all residents — not just lakeshore owners. Decisions about taxation and liability should reflect the best interests of the entire community, not just a few residents pushing for chemical weed treatments.

Current Council Members

👉 City of Mound Government Website

✅ Our Message

Lake Minnetonka belongs to all Minnesotans. With your help, we can:

  • Keep harmful chemical treatments out of our bays.
  • Prevent unnecessary taxes on property owners.
  • Ensure the City of Mound stays focused on citywide priorities — not becoming a manager of lake districts.

📢 Together, we can keep Harrison Bay and all Mound bays healthy, fair, and free from government-run LIDs.