[Ord. of 3-19-2004, § 9-71; Ord. of 12-19-2005, § 9-71; Ord. of 5-3-2006, § 9-71(e); Ord. of 5-1-2007, § 9-71(f),
(i); Ord. of 6-2-2008, § 9-71(a), (g); amended 11-17-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-10]
(a)
The harbormaster and assistant harbormasters shall have full power
and authority to prescribe and enforce regulations and to give direction
regarding anchorage, management and control of all vessels as authorized
by state and federal marine laws and G.L. 1956, title 46, ch.22.
(b)
All vessels anchored, berthed or moored in shall be properly documented
and/or registered as required by law. Names and registration numbers
shall be prominently displayed according to the regulations of the
issuing agency.
(c)
All vessels lying in the harbor not anchored according to directions
of the harbormaster or assistants, and posing a potential danger to
any other vessel, or blocking any channel or hindering the movement
of any other vessel and not having sufficient crew to move them, shall
be moved by the harbormaster, assistants, or designated commercial
towing service, and the expense thereof shall be paid by the owners
or masters of such vessels.
(d)
The harbormaster or assistants at the direction of the harbormaster
shall also have the authority to remove from any town-owned, -operated
or -maintained public wharf in the designated harbors, any vessel
not anchored, moored or wharfed according to their directions. The
harbormaster shall have the authority to control the use of public
launch ramps including but not limited to size of vessels, time and
period of use, size, type and number of vehicles, type of activity.
The harbormaster or assistants may also determine the extent of time
and manner of accommodation respecting the position of vessels to
each other, which shall be extended by the owners or masters thereof
to each other and may require that such accommodation be extended.
(e)
The harbormaster and assistants at the direction of the harbormaster
are authorized to board and seal the marine sanitation device discharge
valves on any vessel within the harbors, to place dye tablets in the
holding tank of any vessel within the harbors and to randomly inspect
the head and holding tank of any vessel within the harbors, as authorized
by G.L. 1956, §§ 46-12-39, 46-12-40, and 46-12-41.
(f)
It is hereby ordained that the harbormaster or assistants at the
direction of the harbormaster shall have the power and authority to
represent the town as its agent, whereby they may execute any and
all mooring, outhaul, dockage and wharfage, permits, assignments and
notices, excluding any contract agreements which bind the town. The
harbormaster or assistants shall transfer any and all monies and accounting
to the town treasurer.
(g)
The harbormaster or assistants at the direction of the harbormaster
may remove, or cause the removal of, moorings, outhauls, derelict
vessels, and in the case of derelict docks only in consultation with
the Coastal Resources Management Council.
(h)
The town council shall establish all fees to be charged for the harbors
department.
(i)
Annually, the harbors department will submit a report to the town
manager, who in turn will submit said. report to the coastal resources
management council with the following Information:
(j)
In the absence of a port authority, the harbormaster is the liaison
between ferry companies, operating in the harbors of Block Island,
and the town.
[Ord. of 12-19-2005, § 9-72; amended 11-17-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-10]
Pursuant to G.L. 1956, § 45-51-3, the powers and duties
of the Block Island conservation commission extend to the harbors
of Block Island.
