Lakewood leaders are still trying to decide what to do with undeveloped access points to the city's four largest lakes, but it could be months before they find a solution.

The City Council Monday night heard an advisory board's recommendations about what to do with 14 areas where city streets come to an end at the shores of Lake Steilacoom, American Lake, Gravelly Lake and Lake Louise.

The city's parks and recreation advisory board recommended everything from improving some of the bigger, more heavily used street ends to selling the narrower, less-frequented ones.

Mayor Doug Richardson said the City Council must now look at each site to determine the appropriate course — a process that could prolong a decision on street ends at least six months.

In particular, the City Council must determine how much developing a street end would cost and what it would look like.

"We need to wrap our arms around what 'improve' means," he said.

The debate has been stewing since Lakewood's incorporation in 1996, when what formerly were Pierce County roads became city streets.

Private landowners who bought their waterfront property decades before cityhood have clashed for years with residents who argue the shoreline should be open to the public. The street ends are relatively small. However, some are popular in the summer, which prompted owners' worries of noise, trash, parked cars and related problems.

In 2007, the Lakewood City Council directed city staff and board members to study each street end and recommend whether it should be closed or opened and developed for public use.

City staff got recommendations from the public and the parks and recreation advisory board. To see the recommendations, visit www.cityoflakewood.us.

On Monday night, elected leaders offered their opinions. Councilwoman Helen McGovern, who said she lives near a lake, said she worried how the city will enforce parking and other laws at street ends once they are improved.

"When you develop it and tell people not to park there, people are going to park there," she said.

Councilman Pad Finnigan wants to know whether the recommendations took into account giving equal access to the lakes on both their eastern and western shorelines.

A few affected property owners also attended Monday night's meeting, although there were fewer than when the City Council discussed it in 2007.

Morris Northcutt, who lives near Lake Steilacoom, said he hopes Lakewood will improve areas that everyone can reach, not just the homeowners who live by them.

"Develop spaces for the benefit of all," he said.

Councilman Don Anderson said the city must determine the legal status of street ends, including boundary lines, before adopting anything.

"We should all go look at the sites before we make any decisions," he said.

Brent Champaco: 253-597-8653