Newport, RI's Friends of the Waterfront Resource Inventory Waterfront and Shoreline Access: State Recognized by the CRMC
	There are a number of different ways the public gains access rights to tidal water. Here in Rhode Island the State's Coastal Resources Management Council maintains a list of its approved rights-of-way throughout the state. The CRMC started this program to define rights of way in the 1980s and apparently ran out of money to hold the public hearings and resolve the legal disputes as of 1988. So the list is not complete. There are other rights-of-way that will be listed elsewhere in this site later. The important thing to remember is that once a right-of-way makes it to CRMC's list, it is nearly impossible for that right-of-way to be absorbed by business or private interests. CRMC designated right-of-ways are protected by RI state law.
	Cliff Walk Access Street Designation CRMC R-O-W ID Number Webster St. Narragansett Ave. Ledge Rd. Ruggles Ave. Seaview Ave. Z-1 Z-2 Z-3 Z-4 Z-5
	Historic Point Neighborhood Access Street Designation CRMC R-O-W ID Number Cypress St. VanZandt St. Battery St. Pine St. Cherry St. Chestnut St. Walnut St. Willow St. Poplar St. Elm St. Goat Island Connector (28B) Goat Island Connector (28A) Z-6 Z-7 Z-8 Z-9 Z-10 Z-11 Z-12 Z-13 Z-14 Z-15 Z-16 Z-17
	Harborfront Access Street Designation CRMC R-O-W ID Number Brown & Howard Wharf Lee's Wharf Howard's Wharf West Extension St./ Sisson's Wharf Waites Wharf Spring Wharf Z-18 Z-19 Z-20 Z-21 Z-22 Z-23
	CRMC Unresolved (due to lack of money to conduct hearings) Street Designation N. Commercial Wharf S. Commercial Wharf Scott's Wharf Perry Mill Wharf Ann St. Pier Long Wharf Status In Court In Court In Court City Records OK In Court
	Rhode Island State Law 46-23-7.4 Penalty for blocking or posting of rights-of-way. Any person who shall post or block any tidal water, public right-of-way, as designated by the council [CRMC], shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) or by imprisonment for not more than three (3) months or both; and each day the posting or blocking continues or is repeated shall be deemed a separate offense. The chairperson of the council through council's legal counsel or the attorney general, may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for an injunction to prevent the unlawful posting or blocking of any tidal water, public right-of-way. ------------------------- Rhode Island State Law 46-23-7.5 Prosecution of criminal violations. The [CRMC] chairperson and anyone designated by the chairperson, without being required to enter into any recognizance or to give surety for cost, may institute proceedings in the name of the state. It shall be the duty of the attorney general and/or the solicitor of the city or town in which the alleged violation has occurred to conduct the prosecution of all the proceedings. The chairperson may delegate his or her authority to bring prosecution by complain and warrant to any law enforcement officials authorized by law to bring complaints for the issuance of search or arrest warrants pursuant to chapters 5 and 6 of title 12.
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