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has some access ways which permit diving and spearfishing directly 

 from shore without a boat. Most sport diving is conducted in 

 waters shallower than 100 feet, and much of this area is within 

 swimming distance of the shore. The Bay also attracts many sport 

 divers from outside the State. 



Seasonal Residences 



The last category of recreational use is that of seasonal 

 residences. Seasonal residences are defined as those houses 

 occupied generally for recreational purposes for a part of the year. 

 In Rhode Island, most, if not all, seasonal residences are summer 

 residences. Based on building permits for 1961-1965, it is 

 estimated that in property tax revenue alone, summer property 

 approaches an annual value of $1,000,000. Although the presence 

 of summer residents increases the municipal service loads, a 

 significant absence here is provision for educational services, 

 which generally comprise about 70 percent of municipal costs. Also 

 the expenditures of the part-time residences stimulate employment 

 and income of these towns. Accordingly, the total income resulting 

 from the inflow of persons in seasonal residences in the Bay area 

 during the summer months is much greater than the costs incurred 

 by municipalities in providing services to such seasonal residences. 



If it is assumed that five percent of the investment in property is 

 expended annually to cover repairs, maintenance, and insurance, and 



