PROVIDENCE — The four-day symposium to debate the future of the Providence waterfront ended last night with one clear feeling voiced by most of the 200 participants: residences do not belong along the waterfront.

At the same time, there was some acknowledgement that a mixed-use zone is possible on the Allens Avenue waterfront, replacing the current industrial zoning. The question is how to accomplish that.

Mayor David N. Cicilline, who supports mixed-use zoning on the waterfront, convened the charette to assess whether the current zoning should be changed as the city rewrites its Comprehensive Plan, the backbone of its zoning and planning law.

The charette, and the city’s Planning Department, drew rave reviews from some of the most skeptical parties, including members of the Working Waterfront Alliance, who went into the week opposing zoning changes and saying they were afraid that the city’s mind was made up.

“I’m very, very pleased, my goodness,” said Joel Cohen, who owns ProMet Shipyard with his brother, David. “There’s a lot of work still to be done, but I am optimistic about this.”

Members of the group Head of the Bay Gateway, which opposes residential development on the waterfront in general and in Fox Point in particular, said they felt that their message had been heard, and that the dialogue is moving toward ways to make the waterfront a destination open to the public, not a select few living there.

“Having residential in either of those places is incompatible and I think really should not be considered,” said former City Councilwoman Rita Williams, who is now co-chairwoman of Gateway’s steering committee.

Developer Patrick T. Conley, who several years ago unveiled plans for a large residential development on the Allens Avenue waterfront, seems now to be backing a more business oriented, mixed-use commercial waterfront north of Thurbers Avenue, and insisting that it can co-exist with the few large, profitable industrial businesses he sees there.

“You have just two viable marine-oriented businesses, which can continue to exist under the city’s Comprehensive Plan,” Conley said, referring to ProMet and Sprague Energy.

“I call it the wilting waterfront. All of the other properties that you go by are indeed gritty … the highest paying jobs on the waterfront are the strippers,” he said, referring to the adult businesses that also line Allens Avenue.

He wants a mixed-use zone that would allow for other businesses alongside the industrial companies. “The [industrial] zoning has been an abject failure. It has not produced one single job or one single business and it should be replaced by a general business zone.”

The question of who gets value out of the Providence waterfront was discussed in detail, with Thomas E. Deller, city planning director, acknowledging that in many ways, it is more of a regional resource than a city resource.

The problem, Deller said, is that Providence does not receive much money in return for hosting the port, while the state and the region reap huge benefits from the essential imports and exports that come through it.

During one session, Deller was asked what it would take for the state to fairly compensate the city for hosting the port.

A blank check, Deller replied, only half-joking.

The one solution that resonated with many was the creation of a statewide port authority, which could market the port and perhaps levy some sort of a tonnage tax, which would be shared with the host communities.

“The burden of the host community is then shared through the city, state and region,” David Cohen said.

That may be a hard sell at the General Assembly, said Kenneth F. Payne, a professor at the University of Rhode Island and former Senate policy advisor. He worried that it may be seen by surrounding communities as another attempt by the city to squeeze money from the rest of the state.

“Providence, too often, is treated as — and takes the persona of — a beggar. The perception is that the city says, ‘Give us more of the dole,’ ” Payne said.

The Planning Department and its consultants will go over the data collected during the four days, see what needs further study and hold a follow-up meeting in September. Then, a waterfront plan will be written and possible zoning changes will follow from there.

dbarbari@projo.com