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Town of East Hampton, CT
Middlesex County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (2) Index
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of East Hampton 3-27-2001 (Ord. No. 11.01); amended in its entirety 8-10-2010. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Parks and recreation — See Ch. 246.
The following regulations are adopted by the Town Council in addition to the state and federal acts concerning boats.
Vessels with built-in toilet systems that are capable of overboard sewage discharge shall not be allowed in or on the lake at any time. Vessels with portable toilet systems shall not discharge sewage into the lake.
A. 
No person shall operate any vessel powered in whole or in part by a motor between 1/2 hour after sunset and 7:00 a.m. at a speed in excess of slow-no-wake.
B. 
No person shall operate a vessel at a speed to exceed slow-no-wake within 200 feet of shore, or of a dock, pier, float or anchored or moored vessel, unless taking off with a water-skier.
The permanent beaching of any vessel at any public or community beach except for emergency use is hereby prohibited. The term "permanent" shall be defined as exceeding a twenty-four-hour period.
A. 
No person using the lake for swimming or public bathing shall act recklessly or negligently or in such a manner that the safety of any person, including himself, shall be endangered. No person shall swim beyond 100 feet from shore or a raft or mooring without a manned vessel in close and constant attendance and maintaining line of sight.
B. 
All persons using inner tubes, air mattresses, inflatable toys, etc., or floating or swimming with the aid of flotation devices, including life preservers (except water-skiers), shall be considered swimmers and shall abide by these regulations.
C. 
This section shall not apply to law enforcement or emergency personnel while such personnel are engaged in the performance of their official duties in connection with law enforcement, an emergency or in connection with training thereof.
The washing or bathing of any person or animal with soap or detergent in the lake is hereby prohibited.
Use of the lake either from the shore or from any vessel for the discarding of papers, cans, bottles, grass cuttings, leaves, wood, lumber or any litter whatever is expressly prohibited.
A. 
All floats, moorings or other anchored personal property shall be confined within the bounds of:
(1) 
One hundred feet or less from the shoreline; and
(2) 
The area in front of the property owner's lot that is bounded by lines that bisect the angles formed by the frontage closure line. A frontage closure line is a straight line between the two points where property lines meet the shoreline.
B. 
A property owner may give permission to other persons to install such moorings, provided the moorings are within the property owner's bounds as described above.
C. 
A property owner may request special permission from the Police Department to install a mooring beyond 100 feet if necessitated by water depths or other obstructions.
The maximum speed limit on Lake Pocotopaug shall be 40 miles per hour from 7:00 a.m. until 1/2 hour past sunset.
Motor boats are prohibited from coming within 50 feet of all other vessels in excess of slow-no-wake. In case of a violation, the burdened or giveaway vessel shall be cited.
During normal operation, except for maintenance purposes, all motors must be complete with their proper cover, so as to muffle sound and prevent bodily injury from moving parts.
A. 
The maximum number of water-skiers to be towed by a motorboat is two at any one time.
B. 
The launching into the air of persons over Lake Pocotopaug through towing by a vessel is prohibited, i.e., parasails and kites.
The installation or use of any raft or other structure for the purpose of water ski jumping or other use by water-skiers in motion is prohibited. This section shall not apply to organized programs approved or permitted by the Town of East Hampton.
A. 
No person shall operate a snowmobile on the public frozen waters of Lake Pocotopaug from 1/2 hour after sunset until 7:00 a.m.
B. 
As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
OPERATE
To control the course of or otherwise use a snowmobile.
SNOWMOBILE
Any self-propelled vehicle designed for travel on ice or snow except vehicles propelled by sail.
Any person failing to observe any or all of these regulations shall be guilty of not less than an infraction and shall be fined the maximum fine allowed for each infraction.
The Town of East Hampton may, from time to time, endeavor to mark buoys to indicate dangerous or rocky lake conditions. Should the Town determine to so mark buoys, a map of marked buoys will be available from the office of the Town Clerk during regular business hours. The marking of buoys, if performed by the Town, is a courtesy only. In no event shall the Town assume any responsibility or liability for personal injury or property damage caused by the marking of or failure to mark buoys.
This chapter shall take effect 20 days after publication, provided it is approved by the State Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to the State Boating Act.