Community groups and design professionals are sounding the alarm about roadblocks within the waterfront permitting process of New York City and other jurisdictions. The importance of directly confronting the regulatory environment’s effects on waterfront and coastal permitting is greater now than ever. Given the scale and dimensions of the green, climate-resilient infrastructure needed in frontline and waterfront communities this is a timely discussion. Stakeholders point to the lack of flexibility for innovative design, permit review times, disincentives for innovation, and the complexity of permitting public access projects. This panel takes a hard look at the current system and opens a strong discussion on options for reform that prevent backsliding.