As used in this chapter:

(A) "Coastal area" means the waters of Lake Erie, the islands in the lake, and the lands under and adjacent to the lake, including transitional areas, wetlands, and beaches. The coastal area extends in Lake Erie to the international boundary line between the United States and Canada and landward only to the extent necessary to include shorelands, the uses of which have a direct and significant impact on coastal waters as determined by the director of natural resources.

(B) "Coastal management program" means the comprehensive action of the state and its political subdivisions cooperatively to preserve, protect, develop, restore, or enhance the resources of the coastal area and to ensure wise use of the land and water resources of the coastal area, giving attention to natural, cultural, historic, and aesthetic values; agricultural, recreational, energy, and economic needs; and the national interest. "Coastal management program" includes the establishment of objectives, policies, standards, and criteria concerning, without limitation, protection of air, water, wildlife, rare and endangered species, wetlands and natural areas, and other natural resources in the coastal area; management of coastal development and redevelopment; preservation and restoration of historic, cultural, and aesthetic coastal features; and public access to the coastal area for recreation purposes.

(C) "Coastal management program document" means a comprehensive statement consisting of, without limitation, text, maps, and illustrations that is adopted by the director in accordance with this chapter, describes the objectives, policies, standards, and criteria of the coastal management program for guiding public and private uses of lands and waters in the coastal area, lists the governmental agencies, including, without limitation, state agencies, involved in implementing the coastal management program, describes their applicable policies and programs, and cites the statutes and rules under which they may adopt and implement those policies and programs.

(D) "Person" means any agency of this state, any political subdivision of this state or of the United States, and any legal entity defined as a person under section 1.59 of the Revised Code.

(E) "Director" means the director of natural resources or the director's designee.

(F) "Permanent structure" means any residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, or agricultural building, any mobile home as defined in division (O) of section 4501.01 of the Revised Code, any manufactured home as defined in division (C)(4) of section 3781.06 of the Revised Code, and any septic system that receives sewage from a single-family, two-family, or three-family dwelling, but does not include any recreational vehicle as defined in section 4501.01 of the Revised Code.

(G) "State agency" or "agency of the state" has the same meaning as "agency" as defined in section 111.15 of the Revised Code.

(H) "Coastal flood hazard area" means any territory within the coastal area that has been identified as a flood hazard area under the "Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973," 87 Stat. 975, 42 U.S.C.A. 4002, as amended.

(I) "Coastal erosion area" means any territory included in Lake Erie coastal erosion areas identified by the director under section 1506.06 of the Revised Code.

(J) "Conservancy district" means a conservancy district that is established under Chapter 6101. of the Revised Code.

(K) "Park board" means the board of park commissioners of a park district that is created under Chapter 1545. of the Revised Code.

(L) "Erosion control structure" means a structure that is designed solely and specifically to reduce or control erosion of the shore along or near Lake Erie, including, without limitation, revetments, seawalls, bulkheads, certain breakwaters, and similar structures.

(M) "Shore structure" includes, but is not limited to, beaches; groins; revetments; bulkheads; seawalls; breakwaters; certain dikes designated by the chief of the division of water resources; piers; docks; jetties; wharves; marinas; boat ramps; any associated fill or debris used as part of the construction of shore structures that may affect shore erosion, wave action, or inundation; and fill or debris that is placed along or near the shore, including bluffs, banks, or beach ridges, for the purpose of stabilizing slopes.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 1/1/2016.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 7/17/2009.

Effective Date: 03-30-1999; 2007 HB119 09-29-2007