FAQ
This web page serves as a handy reference for our Eagle Lake community, to provide answers to the questions heard most often from new lake neighbors and even some long time homeowners.  If you cannot find the information you need, please send an email to our Information Desk by using our Contact Us page.  We will respond to you with an answer, and possibly add your question to this FAQ page to help future site visitors.

About Community Events
  • chevron_rightHow much is the entry fee for this year's fishing jamboree?
    The short answer is $15, but ... if you have already paid your current year dues for ELIA, you participate for free.  All residents in the Regency Condos, Pan Yack Park, and in the Island neighborhood are considered paid members because their dues are covered by their respective associations.  Everyone who wishes to take part in this year's fishing jamboree can pay $15 at registration, and gain membership to ELIA automatically.  You like to fish, and we want to grow our membership ... this is a win-win for everyone!
  • chevron_rightWhat are the rules for the cardboard boat race?
    To view the official event flyer for 2024, click here.
     
    • Boat races begin at 11:30 am.  Arrive early for registration.
    • THE ENTIRE BOAT MUST BE BUILT FROM CARDBOARD AND DUCT TAPE.  No glues, epoxy, nails, caulk, etc.  No waterproofing type paints, no wood, metal, Styrofoam, inflatables or other materials that would aid in buoyancy or add to the rigidness of the cardboard.  This applies to keels, transom, ribs, hulls, etc.
    • Boats must be propelled by paddles, oars or hands only.
    • 50% of the boat must be exposed cardboard.
    • Previous entries are allowed, but must follow these rules even if it means altering the boat.
    • Paint can only be used for decorative purposes.
    • The crew must get IN the boat, not on the boat.  No surfboards allowed.
    • The boat’s passenger area must not be enclosed above the occupant’s shoulders; escape is important if the ship goes down at sea.
    • Crew MUST wear life vests.
    • During the race, the crew must be IN the boat—not towing, holding it between your legs, swimming alongside or allowing life vest to provide floatation for the vessel.
    • Contestants are expected to maintain the decorum and dignity of a yachtsman and not behave like pirates.  Remember, this is all for fun!
    • Boat design is left to the builder’s imagination.  Creativity is encouraged and costumes are allowed.  The judges decide on the interpretation of the rules.  No bribing the judges.  Upon completion of the competition each team must take their creation home.
  • chevron_rightWill we have a fireworks display this year?
    Yes.  The Eagle Lake Improvement Association is proud to serve as the coordinating sponsor for the annual fireworks display.  Our display for 2025 will be held on Saturday, August 30 (Labor Day weekend), with Sunday, August 31 as the rain date.  You will also want to participate in our Ring of Fire, the coordinated lighting of flares all around the shoreline of Eagle Lake!
  • chevron_rightWhat are the rules for the annual photo contest?
    To view the official contest rules for 2024, click here.
     
    CATEGORIES:  Eagle Lake Nature (animals/plants/birds, etc), Eagle Lake People/Water Activities, and Eagle Lake Water Scenes
     
    ELIGIBILITY:  The contest is open to any child or adult living in the Town of Dover, including both year-round and summer/vacation-home residents.  A person can enter one photograph in each category for a total of three entries.  All photographs must be taken by the person entering them!
     
    SIZE:  8 x 10” enlargements (up to 8 ½ x 11”) are preferred and recommended, but 5 x 7” or 4 x 6” prints will be accepted.
     
    EDITING:  Cropping and minor, basic adjustments to color, tone, light, red eye are allowed, but entries cannot be 
    further enhanced or digitally edited using filters or special effects.   This is not a Photoshop contest.
     
    SPECIFICS:  Photographs can be color or non-color.  No borders of any kind.  No captions.  Photographs must be mounted using rubber cement or spray adhesive to an 11 x 14” tag or poster board.  Winners must supply JPEG files for future promotions in print, website content, and social media.
     
    DEADLINE FOR 2024 CONTEST:  Entries must be dropped off by 4:00 pm Monday, August 19th at the Dover Town Hall during normal business hours (Mon-Thurs 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Fridays until noon.)
     
    ANNUAL MEETING:  All entries will be displayed at the ELIA Annual Meeting on August 24th.  Winners will be indicated and prizes awarded.  People attending the meeting can vote for People’s Choice photo.
     
    PUBLIC DISPLAY:  The top 3 entries in each category, plus the People’s Choice photo will be put on display at Michael’s On The Lake from August 25th through Labor Day.  They can be picked up the following week at the Town Hall.  ALL OTHER ENTRIES will be released at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting or can be claimed at the Town Hall the following week.
  • chevron_rightWho gets invited to the Welcome New Neighbor party?
    Excellent question, with a complicated answer.  We make an effort to invite all residents who've moved into our area during the past year, but it's not an easy task.
     
    Within certain neighborhoods, the community associations are aware of new residents or changes in ownership and share that information with EagleLakeIA.  For larger neighborhoods like the Eagle Lake Manor, it is harder to track.  Therefore, we make an effort to monitor real estate sales activity for properties in our area.  The weekly sales summary in the Racine newspaper, as well as the public information available on the Racine County website, are useful resources for this effort.
     
    Our goal is to reach out to new residents as soon as we can, with a genuine desire to welcome them as neighbors and provide a copy of our Welcome New Neighbor manual.  Being part of a lake community is unique and those new to the area may have questions about their neighborhoods or lake properties.  The EagleLakeIA board feels it is important to provide a social atmosphere in which our new residents can meet neighbors, ask questions, and begin to feel the sense of community that is part of our mission.
About The Association
  • chevron_rightDo any of the board members receive compensation?
    No.  Our board is comprised of residents from each neighborhood around Eagle Lake, to represent the interests from around the community and provide effective communication with our lake association.  These positions are filled on a volunteer basis only, with no compensation for board members or executive officers.
  • chevron_rightDo I have to live on the lake to become a member?
    No.  You do not have to live directly on Eagle Lake or be a property owner to join the Eagle Lake Improvement Association.  Any individual who owns or has an interest in property adjacent to or within one mile of Eagle Lake, or who for at least one month each year resides on or within one mile of Eagle Lake, is eligible to become a member of ELIA.
  • chevron_rightHow much are the annual dues, and are they tax deductible?
    The basic membership dues are $15 per household, paid annually.  This voluntary contribution helps support the many programs, activities, and events which are coordinated by ELIA each year.  Additional contributions are gladly accepted.  All donors of $25 or more will receive a custom ELIA gift as a thank you.  To make a bigger splash, anyone donation $100 or more will be invited to special events and be recognized for lake stewardship as a Wave Maker.  Become involved and support our mission.  You CAN make a difference.
     
     
    With our designation as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization, your generous donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.
About The Lake
  • chevron_rightWhat are the thickness guidelines for ice fishing?
    Generally speaking, a minimum of 4" is recommended for a person.  For snowmobiles or ATV's, a minimum of 5-7" is recommended.
     
     
      Remember, automobiles and trucks are not allowed on Eagle Lake at any time, regardless of ice thickness.
  • chevron_rightWho is responsible for weed cutting?
    The Eagle Lake Management District has primary responsibility for the weed cutting and chemical treatments of the invasive weeds and algae.  From early June through late August, workers hired by ELMD work weekdays to harvest plants and remove the cuttings.  Two weed harvesters are operated by the district, along with a specially designed pontoon for use by the cleanup crew as they work the shorelines of lake property owners.
  • chevron_rightHow do I reserve a picnic area at Eagle Lake Park?
    The Eagle Lake Park not only provides excellent access to our lake, it also features a number of picnic areas and park amenities.  For those interested in visiting the park or making a reservation, click on the links below for the latest information from Racine County.
     
     
    To make an online reservation for a Racine County Park site, click here.
     
     
  • chevron_rightCan I view a copy of the guidelines and regulations for using Eagle Lake?
    Most of the basic guidelines and regulations for enjoying Eagle Lake are covered in the Town of Dover ordinances.  A document containing the pertinent sections from Chapter 12.08 - USE REGULATIONS is available on our website by clicking here.  The information contained therein is also endorsed by our partner lake organization, the Eagle Lake Management District.
  • chevron_rightWhat are the rules for placing a pier in Eagle Lake?
    The simple answer is this:  You must be a riparian (waterfront property owner) with at least 50 feet of shoreline frontage in order to place a pier or wharf on Eagle Lake.  The Wisconsin DNR published a very helpful document in August 2012 which contains many of the details related to size, length, and placement.  Please click here to view a copy of this Pier Planner.
  • chevron_rightWhen can I have my pier in the lake?
    Per section 12.08.010 of the Eagle Lake Use Regulations:  Every person maintaining a pier, wharf, boat lift, or other structure or device in the waters of Eagle Lake shall remove the same on or before November 1st of each year and shall not again place it in the waters of Eagle Lake prior to March 1st of each year.  This section shall not apply to piers exceeding nine tons in weight.
  • chevron_rightWho can I contact for pier and/or boat lift removal?
    The following local companies are known to provide installation and removal services for piers and boat lifts around Eagle Lake.  Contact information is provided, along with links to websites if applicable.  Please note that some may not be accepting new clients at this time.
     
    Complete Piers & Lifts, LLC
    East Troy, WI
    (262) 642-4383
    Click here to visit their website
    Lakes Area Marine
    Burlington, WI
    (262) 763-8325
    Click here to visit their website
     
    Midwest Marine & Barge, LLC
    Burlington, WI  53105
    (262) 716-0055
    Click here to see their Facebook page
     
     
    Do you know of other companies, or even some local individuals with experience in pier and lift removal?  Please send us an email with contact information and we will add them to this listing.  
       
       
About The Website
  • chevron_rightCan I have a website account without becoming a member of ELIA?
    Yes, the website account is free and we welcome all interested residents to visit our site.  We do hope, however, that by keeping our membership dues at a reasonable level ($15 per household) you might also join us in supporting the efforts of the Eagle Lake Improvement Association.  Our efforts are limited only by the level of volunteerism and financial support from residents in the area and everyone who enjoys Eagle Lake.  You CAN make a difference.
  • chevron_rightThis is a test
  • chevron_rightDo I have to appear in the website user directory?
    By updating your website user profile, you have the ability to control whether or not your name and contact information is displayed in the directory.  At the top of the home page, click Your Profile and then select Update Directory Preferences.
     
    Adjust the parameters to your preferences, and click Save.
  • chevron_rightCan I pay my dues, or make a donation through the website?
    Thank you for your interest in the Eagle Lake Improvement Association.  Yes, you can pay your membership dues or make a general donation through the website.  For your security, all electronic transactions are encrypted and your financial information is not stored on our EagleLakeIA website at any time.
     
    To make a payment, visit our newly designed Payment Center.  Then click on blue button labeled Membership DuesRestricted Donation, Fireworks Donation, or Make a Payment.  We accept PayPal, credit cards, ACH bank transfers, Apple Pay, and Vimeo.
     
    Of course, for those of you with a preference for writing personal checks, we accept those as well.  Mail your check payable to ELIA and send to the address shown on the website.
About The Webstore