Shoreland Rules Project:
Your Lake, Our Lakes

JUST THE FACTS, MA¹AM
Reprinted from the Crow Wing County Lakes and Rivers Alliance (LARA) newsletter

Good ole Joe Friday.  A guy interested only in the facts, not hearsay or unsubstantiated third party reports.  As lakeshore residents, we too should look hard at information we receive from various sources and ask ourselves,
"What are the facts?"

There have been plenty of non-factual reports flying about the Internet and on the opinion pages of local newspapers regarding a local, stakeholder-driven initiative to update Minnesota¹s shoreland development standards.  These sources have been frequently misinformed and often just plain wrong.  Take, for example, the wild claims that the DNR is crafting its own agenda and ramming it through a charade committee to create the appearance of legitimacy.  Or that the DNR will be taking away docks andforcing people to plant "weeds".  And that meetings are being held secretly out of the public view.  So, what are the facts?

Fact:  The DNR is being guided by a diverse group of stakeholders representing lake associations, environmental and community growth interests, developers, resort owners, township government representatives, elected county officials and their planning staff, an attorney, and a real  estate professional.  This group came together out of a shared vision that Minnesotans can do a better job of protecting our common lake heritage for future generations.   LARA is proud to be an active member of this advisory committee and a partner in ensuring that the health of our lakes is protected into the future.  Far from being a rubber stamp on some state-crafted agenda, this advisory group has introduced and debated complex issues with an open mind and an eye toward protecting their common interest -- healthy lakes for all Minnesotans.

Fact: The advisory committee has explored many difficult and sometimes controversial issues and, over the past eight months, ideas have rolled in and out of the draft proposals.  There is much give-and-take when negotiating the recommended standards but always, always, decisions are based upon sound scientific information, not the arbitrary opinions of strong-minded individuals.  The proposed standards are nearly complete and the final recommendations to the DNR are expected to be ready by the end of the year.

Fact:  Advisory committee meetings have been held monthly and are open to the public.  The meeting schedule and work of the committee has been and continues to be available on the DNR website --

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/watermgmt_section/shoreland/shoreland_rules_update.html

 Scientific information sources used in determining appropriate standards are available on the website, as well.  Numerous articles have appeared in local papers introducing issues that the advisory committee has been discussing along with contact information of DNR officials involved in the process.

Folks, them¹s the facts.  You can find these and more at the DNR website. One cannot claim to be an informed critic of this group¹s work if one has failed to review the publicly available resources and sort out for oneself the fact from the fiction.  There are special interests out there that are hoping you¹ll make a false arrest, so take a little guidance from Joe Friday and seek "just the facts."

We have included a number (11)  of articles about the Update Project that are listed in the table below. 
The articles were written by Paul Radomski and Russ Schultz of the DNR. They are in PDF format and require you to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer.

Don't Have Adobe Reader?  Download a copy FREE!

Your Lake, Our Lakes:
 We need more Shoreland Standards
 Article 1
Lawn-To-Lake Shorelines are no longer ecologically smart Article 2
Shorelands Deserve Conservation Designs for PUD's Article 3
Where does the Rainwater go? Article 4
Resorts are important to Minnesota Article 5
The Science of Septic Systems Article 6
Boat density can be a problem Article 7
Variances must not alter the local character of a place Article 8
Becoming a good shoreline steward Article 9
Identifying sensitive shorelines allows for greater protection Article 10
Loss of ducks with development Article 11




UPDATED November 17,  2005

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