What does shoreland zoning mean in Maine?

The Mandatory Shoreland Zoning Act permits a municipality to enact ordinances that regulate structures that extend or are located over the water or are placed on land lying between high and low waterlines or within wetlands.

How close to the shoreline can you build in Maine?

What are the minimum setback requirements? Answer: The setback for structures on great ponds or rivers flowing into great ponds is 100 feet. A 75 foot setback applies to all other water bodies, streams and wetlands.

What is a resource protection area in Maine?

The Resource Protection District shall include the following areas: A. Wetlands, swamps, marshes and bogs; [PL 1979, c. 459, §1 (NEW).]

How close to a brook can you build?

Standard setback distances often range from 50 to 100 feet from the stream or river, but can vary based on the specific riparian zone. Both stream buffers and setbacks are used to limit or prohibit certain types (or all) development within them.

Can you build on wetlands in Maine?

All projects in or adjacent to (within 75 feet of) wetlands of special significance and rivers, streams, and brooks require a permit. Alterations in freshwater wetlands may need a permit, depending on the size and location of the project.

Do you need a permit for a dock in Maine?

A permit is required when an activity will be: Located in, on or over any protected natural resource, or. Located adjacent to A) a coastal wetland, great pond, river, stream or brook or significant wildlife habitat contained within a freshwater wetland, or (B) certain freshwater wetlands.

What are Maine’s natural resources?

Natural Resources: Maine’s important natural resources are its vast forests and its fertile soils. Granite and limestone deposits are abundant but not fully mined. One of the largest copper and zinc deposits are found in Maine but they are hard to get at.

How close can you build next to a creek?

Construction within 30 feet of the centerline of an open creek is regulated to protect water quality and riparian habitat. An open creek may carry water either intermittently or continuously.

What is considered wetlands in Maine?

Over five million acres of Maine’s wetlands are freshwater wetlands (wooded swamps, shrub swamps, bogs, freshwater meadows, freshwater marshes and floodplains). Only 157,500 acres are tidal or coastal wetlands (tidal flats, salt marsh, freshwater/brackish marsh, aquatic beds, beaches and reefs).

Can you own a river in Maine?

So, in turn, nobody in Maine can own the actual water, except for water companies. Maine has been extremely liberal comparatively to the rest of the world when it comes to laws regarding water access, and as a fly fisherman, thankfully so.

What is the difference between a buffer and a setback?

Whereas buffers represent the physical, on-the-ground systems that directly accomplish articulated goals (i.e. floodplain habitat, protection of riparian forests, water quality improvement), setbacks are the regulatory tools used to protect existing and potential lands from future encroachment.

Do wetlands have any value?

Technically speaking, yes, wetlands hold value. From a conservationist’s point of view, wetlands are incredibly valuable because they hold such diverse and robust ecosystems, and play an important role in water purification and flood control.

Can I build a bridge over wetlands?

In fact, for building on wetlands, helical piers are the most effective solution to support paths, bridges and walkways.