No viable alternatives exist to exempt wells in most rural areas. Property rights in water, local control and watershed planning are disappearing and negatively affect agriculture. Shoreline master programs should be updated only where there is an effect on fish, given the substantial effort and money involved. Conservation should be accomplished through tax credits. Land use and economic development planning do not belong here.
Public participation needs to be provided when procedures are streamlined.
The schedules for updating shoreline master programs are too long. There should be a full Sinking Creek fix. The civil penalties are too low. Penalties for each day of violation are unfair, because legal and policy problems often cause delay. Uniformed officers with guns are not appropriate for water code enforcement.