It's the 250 foot part that is most concerning. That is on the street side of most of the houses and in many cases across the street. Fixing the culvert under your driveway 200 feet from the house does not seem like it should require $100 and months of waiting for a determination. It just seems like most people won't bother getting a permit and the rest of us will be trying to do what is required. From the research I have done it seems many projects that require a shore land permit now do not get one.
It would be nice if the threshold was also conditioned somehow on:
Can you see project from the water?
Does it impact water that might run into the lake?
On lake side or street side of structure?
On lake side or other side of road?
Will project make shore line "less natural" or "more natural" in appearance?
Is long term impact of project permanent(Fire place) or temporary (flowers / mulch)?
I applaud the State's attempt to be reasonable. I deal with the DES in my other life and they are always reasonable. I know they only have our best interest in mind. I just don't want to go through this new process and see another huge house built next to the water with all the trees removed and the shore line completely changed because the contractor had the right lawyers to push the project. If the state determines that this kind of destruction is OK than their is nothing I can do that would even come close.
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