The 1974 Maine Residential Shoreland Zoning Act regulates development within 250 ft of the high water mark of a great pond.
	All towns were required to implement a shoreline ordinance with requirements as strict, or stricter than those set by this statewide act.
	Some of the requirements include: minimum lot sizes, and 100 ft setback for buildings, driveways, and septic system leach fields for the shoreline.
	A 100ft buffer of natural vegetation is also required between the shoreline and any clear cut area
	The state also created Resource Protection Districts to protect particularly vulnerable areas such as those adjacent to wetlands or with steep slopes from development.  There are 5 RPDs in the China Lake watershed and they are subject to more stringent development and land use guidelines.
	Many of the properties around China Lake were built before the 1974 regulations.  Therefore, many buildings are not in compliance with the current regulations but exist legally as grandfathered structures.  However, future construction on these houses is limited and must be in accordance to the current rules.
	Towns are required to enforce these statewide regulations by appointing a code enforcement officer.