Section 280. Declaration of policy and purposes

Whereas beach erosion along
  the  shoreline  of  this state and especially along the shoreline in the
  county of Suffolk causes  loss  of  life  and  damage  to  property  and
  constitutes  a menace to the health, safety and welfare of the people of
  this state in general and the residents of Suffolk in particular, it  is
  the  sense  of  the  legislature  that  in  order  to arrest erosion and
  alleviate or prevent damage resulting therefrom and as  protection  from
  storms, the governing body of the county of Suffolk is hereby authorized
  to  establish or extend county hurricane protection, flood and shoreline
  erosion control districts in the manner  hereinafter  provided  for  the
  purpose  of  constructing  and  reconstructing dunes, bluffs, bulkheads,
  dikes, groins, jetties, fills and  other  works  and  improvements  upon
  lands  and lands under water owned by such county, or any town, village,
  park, or existing hurricane  protection,  flood  and  shoreline  erosion
  control  district  or  private  lands upon which the county has obtained
  easements or a fee  title.  No  county  district  shall  be  established
  hereunder  which  shall  consist  wholly of territory within one town or
  village.