Since Rock Hall sits at water's edge on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, zoning issues can become quite complicated . Decisions made by the Rock Hall Planning & Zoning Board and Board of Appeals are based not only on the content of the Rock Hall Zoning Ordinance, but also the rules and regulations of FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency, concerning building in the flood plain in Rock Hall) and the Maryland Critical Areas Commission, which regulates development within 1000 feet of the shore. Federal and state agencies(the Army Corps of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, etc.) also regulate building in tidal and non-tidal wetlands.