Sarnia council will consider a recommendation to reaffirm ownership along the Old Lakeshore Road right-of-way on Monday.
The stretch of land, between the Cull Drain and Mike Weir Park, collapsed into Lake Huron during a storm in 1973.
Since that time, Mayor Mike Bradley said no formal public agreement has been available and some of the neighbouring property owners have encroached onto the public right-of-way.
"There's a long road ahead no matter what," said Bradley. "This issue has been around, in some ways, for too long and I think council needs to give some clear direction. First step is to reaffirm our ownership of the Old Lakeshore Road. That's a step that can take place and down the road, if other councils want to move in a different direction they still have that right. But it reaffirms the ownership and then we move from there."
Bradley said there needs to be a legal agreement on the encroachments.
"It's a complicated issue, it's an emotional issue, but I think after all these years of being back and forth, we need to have a clear direction."
Bradley said shoreline protection estimates should be considered as well.
"The public meeting process and the public input sessions, outside of the immediate ownership, has made it very clear the public thinks we should reaffirm it. The wrinkle that comes into the discussion then is the cost of shoreline erosion. It's a natural thing to say if the city takes over that particular right-of-way, it would be no different than in the rest of Bright's Grove where there's a public right-of-way where we are spending a lot of money to protect that particular waterfront."
If approved, Bradley thinks the work would clear the way if a future council decides to install a multi-use path and bridge over the Cull Drain.
Five delegations are set to speak to the recommendation Monday.
Monday's starts at 1 p.m.