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Dennis Zylla <br />-2- May 15, 1979 <br />management system. Under such a system the loca l <br />units of government would have the authority to <br />adopt their own water surface use regulations so <br />long as they are consistent with some basic state- <br />. wide guidelines formulated by the DNR. Zn this <br />way the DNR could oversee the statewide impact of <br />the water surface use regulations while local units <br />of government would retain the ability to solve <br />their own local water surface use problems within <br />a statewide framework. <br />Realizing the need for such an approach, the State <br />Legislature proposed several changes to the Water <br />Safety Act during the 1973. Legislative Session and <br />on May 24, 1973 Governor Wendell Anderson approved <br />Laws of Minnesota 1973, Chapter 702. -This .Act author- <br />izes the Commissioner of Natural Resources to adopt <br />statewide rules and regulations governing the use <br />of watercraft on the surface waters of the state by <br />January 1, 1975. Under this Act, local units of <br />government would have the power to establish ordi- <br />nances to control the use of watercraft on waters <br />within their territorial limits, provided that such <br />ordinances are approved by the Commissioner of Natural <br />Resources. *Furthermore, any water surface-use ordi- <br />nances adopted by a local unit of government after <br />January 1, 1975 must be consistent with the statewide <br />rules and regulations to be formulated by the Commis- <br />sioner of Natural Resources. <br />Under the provisions of Chapter 702, local ordinances <br />may regulate the type and size of watercraft allowed <br />to be used on a particular body of water, the-types <br />and horsepower of motors allowed to be used on water- <br />craft, the time and area in which watercraft may oper- <br />ate,- the speed at which watercraft may operate, and <br />the conduct of other activities on a particular body <br />of water in order to secure the safety of the public <br />and the most general public use. <br />According to thi-s Act,. the County Board of Commis- <br />sioners is empowered to adopt such "Water Surface <br />Use Ordinances" for any body of water situated wholly <br />or partly within .the boundaries of the county and not <br />situated entirely within the boundaries of a single <br />municipality. When a body of water.is located en- <br />tirely within the boundaries of a single municipality, <br />the governing body of the municipality has the author- <br />. ity to adopt a water surface use ordinance.. In a case <br />