Harbor Management Plan

Greenwich Cove has changed dramatically since the mid-1600’s. The pace of change was rapid in the 1980s. In that period, the number of recreational moorings and docks significantly increased, but has slowed in recent years as the Cove has reached capacity.

Use of the shorefront has also changed. What originated primarily as an industrial waterfront has been slowly evolving into an increasingly busy commercial area including such uses as private marinas, restaurants, retail stores and commercial shellfishing operations. There is also a significant residential community including single-family, multi-family residences and condominium housing units.

Further physical changes can be expected in the future as commercial incentives rise. Comprehensive planning is one method for anticipating the future requirements for harbor areas. By implementing a comprehensive harbor plan, a community sets the direction for preserving its natural resources, organizes traditional, water-dependent activities, and decides upon the appropriate amount and location of water-dependent development.

The Town Admisnitration with input and guidance from the Advisory Cove Mangement Commission is in the final stages of updating its Harbor Management Plan. This Harbor Management Plan will examine the current condition of and project the needs for various activities of the harbor area. The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council’s (CRMC) harbor management planning guidelines offer a framework from which communities may develop a comprehensive harbor plan. Planning tools such as the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) standards for water quality, categories of CRMC water types, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and local building regulations, and mooring configurations are available to implement community goals and objectives.