Controversy is brewing between residents of western Prince William County and the City of Manassas over whether to reopen Lake Manassas and all a dock entry through a community near the lake.

On Monday night, those supporting and opposing plans for the city to potentially partner with the state Game and Inland Fishers, George Mason University and residential developer Brookfield Saranac LLC to allow fishing and recreation expressed their views in front of the Manassas City Council. Mayor Hal Parrish and three council members were absent from the proceedings. Vice mayor Andy Harrover presided over council instead.

"Once the tooth paste is out of the tube it's very difficult to put back," said Ross Friedman, who lives in the Saranac community near the lake and opposes its reopening. Friedman said that if the project does go through, he would want in writing financial promises from George Mason and other entities.

University officials have an interest in the lake because it could help expand its aquatics program. Those opposed say allowing boating would increase noise and could bring in invasive zebra muscles attached to the boats. The latter point is a disputed topic and those favoring the deal say boats would have to be cleaned before entering the water.

One issue Saranac residents mentioned is that the inlet to the new marina would go through their property after jutting off Glenkirk Road. Dale Penerburgh spoke about seeing people walk through his backyard despite No Trespassing signs so they could examine the lake in preparation for its potential reopening.

"What I care about is the safety of my neighborhood," he said.

He said it disturbs him that he could be a father of six and have "strangers" walk near the trampoline where his children play.

Speaking just before him, Rob Grike said his father used to take him to the lake when he was growing up.

"Some of my fondest memories were on that lake," he said, adding that it is "absurd" to him that it could be considered a crime for people to use the lake. "It needs to open to the public."

Though the authenticity of the poster could not be confirmed, a person posting under the name "Rob Grike" made a a previous comment on a bass fishing Web forum that the "lake is my heritage and it has been stolen from me." Posters described run-ins with police while fishing at Lake Manassas, which is prohibited.

Kim Hosen from the Prince William Conservation Alliance asked the council for "continued progress" in reopening the lake.

"It was not closed because of (the) public water supply," she said, noting that there was a dispute with the landowner providing access to the area. That restricted public access to the man-made lake in 1995, more than 35 years after it opened.

Hosen highlighted a potential land donation from Brookfield for a marina along with cash offers from the state Game and Inland Fishiers to construct and maintain new amenities for boaters, such as a parking lot and pier.

She requested the council hold a work session to further study the potential partnerships, something she lauded.

"This isn't a change," said Hosen. "The lake was open. This is an issue to reopen it... There's a huge amount of people that enjoy fishing and there are wildlife watchers."

The council should also consider the potential revenue that could come from the lake's reopening, she added.

Friedman, who opposes public access, said during an interview that there may not be enough attention being paid to environmental safety. The Saranac resident also protested the idea that, as a county citizen, he does not have an elected representative in the matter because it is a decision to be made by the Manassas City Council.

"It's an uphill battle climb for us to have a voice in this issue," he said.

Charlie Taylor, a local fisher, said that closing off the lake to the public denies people their "right to fish" on property funded by taxpayers.

Presumable, the "right to fish" comment refers to a state constitutional amendment approved by Virginia voters in the year 2000. It states, "The people have a right to hunt, fish, and harvest game, subject to such regulations and restrictions as the General Assembly may prescribe by general law."

Taylor further mentioned that denying access to fishers and others also "denies the local merchants their income" that comes directly or indirectly from people "utilizing the lake."

But for those who live near Lake Manassas, like Penerburgh, the construction of a marina along with noise from boaters alters what they were sold when they bought their homes.

"(This) destroys the entire shoreline of our property," said Penerburgh.