Section 34-0102. Declaration of policy

It is declared to be the public policy of the state of New York that:
    1.  Those areas of the state's coastline most prone to erosion hazards
  should be identified.
    2. Any activities, development or other actions in such erosion hazard
  areas should be undertaken in such  manner  as  to  minimize  damage  to
  property,  and  to  prevent  the  exacerbation  of erosion hazards. Such
  actions may be restricted or prohibited if necessary to protect  natural
  protective features or to prevent or reduce erosion impacts.
    3.  Local governments should be encouraged to use all authorities that
  can be applied within the identified erosion  hazard  areas  to  achieve
  these objectives.
    4.  Public  actions,  such  as  the  provision of additional municipal
  services, which are likely to  encourage  new  permanent  activities  or
  development  within coastal erosion hazard areas should not occur unless
  such hazard areas have been protected by erosion  protection  structures
  or  non-structural measures which are most likely to prevent damage from
  effects  of  erosion  during  the  anticipated  life  of  the   proposed
  activities or development.
    5.  Publicly-financed  structures to minimize erosion damage should be
  utilized only where necessary to protect human life, existing investment
  in development or new development which requires a location  within  the
  erosion  hazard  area or adjacent coastal waters to be able to function.
  Both publicly  and  privately  financed  erosion  protective  structures
  should  be  designed to minimize damage to other man-made property or to
  natural protective features or to other  natural  resources;  long  term
  costs  of  such  structures  should  be carefully weighed against public
  benefits before construction is undertaken.