The Department of Environmental Protection is developing a guidance document on docks and piers, outlining the science, management practices, and implementation strategies. The guidance should be available in 2001. Workshops will be held at that time. Incentives to encourage landowners to share docks could include fast track permitting or flexibility in meeting standards. The Division of Marine Fisheries and town shellfish officers are developing maps of shellfish habitat.
Municipalities can regulate anything that the state doesn t already regulate.
If the state does regulate an issue, a municipality can strengthen the regulation. All by-laws must address the police powers of health, safety, and welfare. Municipalities can regulate docks and piers under local wetland by-laws. By-laws should have a clear connection with resource values. Municipalities cannot enforce the public trust doctrine.