Massachusetts General Laws Part I. Administration of the Government (Ch. 1-182) Ch. 88, § 14

In every city or town where the tide ebbs and flows there shall be provided on a tidal shore thereof at least one common landing place and where no common landing place exists the city council or board of selectmen shall lay out at least one common landing place and may from time to time alter the same, but the layout or alteration of such landing place shall not extend below low water mark. In any such city or town the city council or board of selectmen may, upon petition of ten or more voters of the city or town, lay out additional common landing places and alter the same or those already existing, but no layout or alteration of such landing place shall extend below low water mark. All the provisions of law relating to the laying out and alteration of town ways shall apply to the laying out or alteration of common landing places. Any person who is damaged in his property by such laying out or alteration may recover damages under chapter seventy-nine. In any city or town where a common landing place exists or where a layout or alteration is made in accordance with the provisions of this section, the city council or board of selectmen shall file a plan and a description of each such common landing place or layout or alteration with the city clerk or town clerk, with the county commissioners of the county where said city or town is located, and with the department of environmental management and shall record the same in the registry of deeds for said county. A city or town may erect and maintain structures on any such common landing place in keeping with the public nature thereof, but any such structures extending into tidewater shall be subject to the provisions of chapter ninety-one. The city council or board of selectmen shall make rules and regulations governing the operation and use of structures on a common landing place and may appoint a custodian thereof and fix his salary, or it may, on behalf of the city or town, lease said structures.