During the last half of the twentieth century, the need for a coherent management of coastal resources in Rhode Island was continually growing, particularly following the enormously devastating impact of major storms like Hurricane Carol in 1954. Recognizing the paramount importance of the coastline to Rhode Island’s social and economic welfare, the General Assembly passed legislation in 1971 to establish the Coastal Resource Management Council (CRMC). Its explicit policy was established to “preserve, protect, develop, and where possible, restore the coastal resources” for present and future generations through comprehensive planning. Rhode Island was among the first states to take such comprehensive action, positioning it to participate in the federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972. The agency’s regulations and management plans were formally compiled into the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Program, commonly known as the “Red Book” (which was initially published in 1983). The commission was given purview and oversight of all development within 200 feet of strategic waterways.
CRMC Narragansett Bay Flood Risk Diagram
Today, the CRMC is the primary regulatory agency that continues to oversee activity in Rhode Island’s coastal zone, from three miles offshore to 200 feet inland from any coastal feature. Its professional staff of biologists, engineers, and planners process over 1,100 applications annually for projects like docks, marinas, and residential construction. The agency’s most significant and persistent current impact—and source of controversy—stems from its politically appointed volunteer Council. Critics argue that this non-expert Council, which can review, change, or overturn staff recommendations, is an outdated structure that invites political interference, causes delays, and compromises the agency’s stated mission. Efforts to reform or abolish the Council structure are a major part of the current public and legislative debate over coastal management efficacy and public trust.
CRMC Newport Diagrams
The “Coastal Resources Management Program” is outlined in a document that has become known as the “Red Book,” which defines and regulates development in the “back areas” of the coast through its jurisdiction, which extends 200 feet inland from the most landward edge of any “coastal feature” (e.g., beaches, dunes, coastal wetlands, rocky shores). These coastal features are defined on a case-by-case basis with the input of experts like biologists and geographers.
CRMC South Kingstown/Narragansett Diagrams
Waterways are identified as Type 1 (Conservation areas), Type 2 (Low intensity waterways), Type 3 (High-intensity recreational waterways), Type 4 (Multi-purpose waters), Type 5 (Commercial and recreational harbors), and type 6 (industrial waterfronts). The possibility of developing or increasing the use of each of these site types varies. For instance, these types govern the Coastal Buffer Zones (CBZ). For new or substantial development, the CRMC requires a CBZ—a vegetated, undisturbed area that acts as a natural transition zone to protect water quality, stabilize soil, and slow runoff. Required widths can range from 15 to 200 feet, depending on the adjacent water type and lot size.
CRMC Special Area Management Planning Diagram
Similarly, construction setbacks are established to mitigate against coastal erosion and sea-level rise, the CRMC also mandates minimum setbacks for new structures. The basic setback is 50 feet from the inland boundary of the coastal feature or 25 feet from the inland edge of the Coastal Buffer Zone, whichever is further inland. In critical erosion areas, the setback is calculated based on the annual erosion rate, such as 30 times the annual erosion rate for smaller residential projects.
NOAA Sea Level Rise Report
These regulations on development within the 200-foot buffer zone are critical to the CRMC’s mission, ensuring that activities adjacent to the shoreline and waterways minimize environmental disturbance and account for long-term hazards like sea-level rise. If you wish to develop or renovate a project within a CRMC-governed site, you will need to take both the local zoning ordinance and the Red Book guidelines into consideration. We at A4 Architecture would be pleased to be of assistance to help you create an extraordinary project in one of these areas.
Ross Sinclair Cann, AIA is an historian, educator and practicing architect living and working in Newport for A4 Architecture He holds architectural degrees from Yale, Cambridge and Columbia Universities and is a member of a numerous committees, commissions, and boards.