Pawtucket, RI Environmental Rules: Boat Dock Permits (2026)

Pawtucket permits marinas only as a special use under Zoning Ordinance § 410-60O, and ties the use directly to the city's two waterways. A marina may only locate on a land parcel with access to the Seekonk or Pawtucket Rivers, and it must provide a minimum of 10 boat-docking spaces during the summer boating season along with one off-street parking space for every boat-leasing space. The only accessory retail use allowed on-site is the sale of boating supplies, and fuel sales are explicitly excluded from that allowance.

Marinas must also satisfy the state's Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) permitting regulations, which sit on top of and independent from the city's zoning approval. Off-season boat storage is permitted, but only where the operator submits an egress plan approved by the Pawtucket Fire Department, protecting emergency access to stored vessels. The ordinance also caps how long any single boat can occupy a dock or storage spot: no boat may remain in the same location for more than 500 days, a rule aimed at preventing derelict or abandoned vessels from accumulating at waterfront sites.

Because marinas are approved through the special use permit process under Article XIII of the Zoning Ordinance, an applicant must go before the City's permitting authority, the Planning Commission or Joint Planning Commission depending on the district, rather than obtaining an over-the-counter zoning certificate. Composting, recycling and waste bins must also be readily available for marina patrons.