CRMC
The Coastal Resources Management Council is a management agency with regulatory functions. Its primary responsibility is for the preservation, protection, development, and where possible, the restoration of the coastal areas of the state via the implementation of its integrated and comprehensive coastal management plans and the issuance of permits for work with the coastal zone of the state. Each year for the past decade, the CRMC processes an average of over 1,100 applications. These proposed activities comprise of residential renovations and new homes, boat docks, subdivisions of land, and commercial and industrial work, and everything in-between.

RIDEM
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) serves as the chief steward of the state’s natural resources. Their mission is to protect, restore, and promote the environment through the development and enforcement of environmental laws.
The Red Book – Master Regulatory Book and Guidance Documents

SEPTIC – OWTS
The DEM Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (OWTS) Program administers the States’ septic system permitting program to ensure the protection of public health and the natural environment while focusing on customer service. DEM staff provide regulatory oversight in three main stages of the septic system permitting process including site-suitability, treatment system design review and system installation.

WATER RESOURCES – RIDEM OUR MISSION
The RIDEM’s mission is to protect the rivers, lakes, and coastal waters that support healthy communities of fish, plants, and other aquatic life, and supports uses such as fishing, swimming, and drinking water quality.

WETLANDS
Freshwater wetlands are regulated by the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) to preserve and regulate the freshwater wetlands of the state of Rhode Island for the public benefits that they provide. Freshwater wetlands in the vicinity of the coast are regulated by the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC).

The Department’s Freshwater Wetlands Program is staffed by professional scientists and engineers who routinely assist property owners and their consultants to understand the Rules and Regulations and the general application requirements described in Rule 7.00.

Property owners who propose projects or activities in or near freshwater wetlands must first obtain a permit from the Department. There are eleven wetlands application types summarized in Rule 5.00, and the type of application required depends on the nature of the request.

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND GENERAL LAW
GOVERNING, ZONING AND BUILDING
The Building Code Commission (BCC) is tasked with protecting public health, safety and welfare by establishing our state’s minimum standards of construction. Safe structures are achieved through a combination of code-based design & construction practices, and an inspection process that ensures compliance with the established standards.

REGULATIONS WITHIN THE RHODE ISLAND BUILDING LAW
Title 45 Towns & Cities –– Regulations regarding accessory dwelling, zoning, variances, height, lot lines, conforming and non-conforming use, setbacks, site plans and wetlands. Title 45, Chapter 24 – Specifically addresses zoning regulations
Title 23 Health & Safety Building Code
Rhode Island 1 & 2 Family Building Code

STORM TOOLS – RHODE ISLAND’S SHORELINE
STORMTOOLS is a method to illustrate and display storm inundation, with and without sea level rise, for different types of storms that could occur along Rhode Island’s coast line.

The system can be used to access flooding estimates for a specific area that might become a potential problem for coastal planners, engineering designers and current and potential homeowners. STORMTOOLS dramatically enhances the ability to use state-of-the-art tools in support of coastal resilience planning management.

RI SHORELINE CHANGE SPECIAL AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Rhode Island is learning more about how flooding and erosion is shaping the coast through the Rhode Island Shoreline Change Special Area Management Plan (Beach SAMP). A key goal is to collect new data about the shoreline, and then help coastal communities use it in their planning — in their policies and practices — to protect people and property from harm, and adapt to change over time. The Beach SAMP is an effort of the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC), and is facilitated by the URI Coastal Resources Center and Rhode Island Sea Grant.