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. Only the state is vested with that responsibility. See last bullet in previous section. Quantities are limited and orders will be filled on a first come, first served basis.