The following is a synopsis of general information, which may be of interest to residents of Johnson’s Island. Some of these items are rules included in your deed restrictions, some are County regulations and Village of Marblehead zoning restrictions and some are simply items of general concern for all residents.

A complete copy of all regulations and articles of incorporation of the Johnson’s Island Property Owners’ Association (JIPOA) can be found on the homepage’s “Welcome Document.” You may also contact your Board of Trustees membership chairperson for a copy of these documents.

Property Owners’ Association – The purpose of the association is to promote the development of the common facilities on Johnson’s Island, to operate and maintain these facilities, and to provide a means of cooperation among the residents of the island.

Board of Trustees – To facilitate the accomplishment of the goals of the association, a Board of Trustees is elected to supervise the affairs of the association. The board consists of eleven members, four of which are elected annually for a three-year term. The board generally meets monthly throughout the year.

Annual Membership Meeting – The annual meeting of the Johnson’s Island Property Owners’ Association is held in September of each year. The board reports to the membership on the affairs of the association and a general business meeting follows. The election of members to the Board of Trustees is held at this meeting.

Use of the Clubhouse – Association members in good standing may rent the clubhouse for private events. Contact the chairperson of the Clubhouse/Social committee for complete information.

Building Permits – By agreement with the Village of Marblehead and Ottawa County governments, plans for any construction must be submitted to the Board of Trustees and a permit from the Johnson’s Island Property Owners’ Association must be issued before the village or county will consider an application for a zoning or building permit. Plans must also be submitted to the Board of Trustees building committee chairperson for review prior to filing for a building permit.

Use of Buildings and Lot – No building shall be used for any other than normal residential purposes. Nothing that is objectionable to either the Johnson’s Island Property Owners’ Association or owners of other island properties will be permitted. Trailers, campers and other temporary structures are prohibited. Buildings must be exclusively for single residence purposes and must contain a minimum of 600 square feet of living space.

Drainage – Before making alterations to your property, which may affect drainage, it is requested that you contact the Board of Trustees. Installation or paving of driveways is one issue of concern since it will affect the drainage of the road.

Dumpsters – The use of the dumpsters is restricted to Johnson’s Island Property Association members and their guests. Each member must pay their fair share of the costs of maintaining this facility. Rates are posted at the site. It is also the responsibility of those using the dumpsters to assure that their trash is neatly placed into the containers so that animals and weather will not scatter it. We have members who live in close proximity to this facility and should not be inconvenienced by a messy trash area close to their homes.

Gate Cards – All members in good standing are issued two electronic gate cards on receipt of their annual membership dues. Additional gate cards may be obtained from the Board of Trustees roads/tollgate chairperson. Contractors and area service companies can obtain a gate pass by contacting the roads/tollgate chairperson for information on current costs and restrictions.

Tollgate – Fees collected from the tollgate are kept in a separate account and used for maintenance of the causeway. Considerable association time and expense have gone into the gate and camera system. The gate bars are a continuing maintenance item both from accidental breakage with trucks, trailers and extended vehicles, and deliberate breakage and vandalism. Please use care in entering or leaving through the gate while towing a boat or other trailer.

The gate area is continuously photographed by a recording camera and videotape which records all vehicles entering or leaving the island. Deliberate damage to the gate, card reader, currency collector or forced entry will be turned over to the local authorities for prosecution. Perpetrators will be required to pay for all damages incurred.

Docks – The controlling authority for issuance of dock permits on Lake Erie and adjacent waters is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District Office, Buffalo, NY. Application must be made in writing. The Corps has a general “rubber stamp” permit for seasonal docks which are removed in winter, and do not exceed 75 feet in length. Permanent docks, or seasonal docks exceeding 75 feet in length require a permit from the Corps of Engineers, the Ohio EPA, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Permanent docks also require a submerged land lease from the State of Ohio (ODNR), and a county dock permit, issued by Ottawa County Commissioners in Port Clinton. Application must be made in writing. Please refer to the useful links page for more information on their respective web sites.

Addresses – Police-Fire-Medical units will not recognize lot numbers on Johnson’s Island. You must have your address posted so it is readable from the road.

Your street address must be used when calling emergency 911.