DEPARTMENT
OF ENVIRONMENT & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
ENVIRONMENT
DIVISION
Erosion and Sedimentation Enforcement Section
Description
of Activities
The
Fulton County Soil and Erosion Control Staff's duties are to enforce the Fulton
County Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Ordinance of 1996, which is a mandate
of the Georgia Erosion and Sedimentation Act of 1975. Excessive soil erosion
and resulting sedimentation can take place during land disturbance activities.
Therefore, it is the duty of the Office of the Environment to ensure that soil
erosion and sedimentation control measures and practices conform to at least
the minimum requirements of the ordinance. This is accomplished in part by issuing
Notices of Violation, Stop Work Orders, and Environmental Citations in the Magistrate
Court.
As
of November 1997, a "Zero Tolerance" stance with regard to erosion control has
been enacted. Therefore, if a site is observed to have silt leaving it , a "Stop
Work Order" is immediately issued. During this period no work can be done with
the exception of repairing or installing erosion control measures to bring the
site into compliance. If erosion control remediation is not accomplished to bring
the site into compliance by the day specified by the County, the "Stop Work Order"
remains and a citation and fine may occur.
New
Developments and Pending Issues
Fulton County recently increased its erosion control staff by adding five inspectors, increasing the staff to 16. An additional administrative position was also filled for support of the erosion control staff.
The
County has secured office space in North Fulton County to house several inspection
divisions working in the northern portion of the County. The renovation of this
property is underway and should be completed soon. Occupying this location should
allow inspectors that work in the north to reach their territory promptly. Approximately
ten erosion control inspectors will likely work out of this office space.
Staff
is currently modifying the Fulton County Soil and Sedimentation Control Ordinance.
This effort is a collaboration of the divisions that enforce or work with the
current ordinance, including the County Attorneys's office.
Public
Information
1.
Training and Workshops
It is Fulton County's intent to educate and inform the building community and private citizens of the critical responsibility we all have to protect the environment, specifically our water system. In that regard, we have conducted workshops with builders, developers, farm bureaus, citizens and each County entity involved in construction activities. A program which deputizes private citizens to identify and report erosion control and other violations is in-place throughout the County. In the future, workshops and educational programs will be scheduled throughout the year, including one designed for habitual offenders convicted in the Environmental Court. Our educational efforts include the participation of all County entities involved in monitoring construction processes, such as permitting, plans review, the arborist, and construction and erosion control inspections.
2.
Enforcement Activities
In
order to provide consistent enforcement and to minimize the amount of judgement
calls inspectors are required to make in the field, Erosion and Sediment Control
Enforcement Standards for Fulton County have been implemented. These standards
address and define enforcement requirements for slopes, sediment ponds, construction
exits, silt barriers, check dams, exposed areas, drop inlets, and rock filter
dams. These standards were prepared by the erosion control and construction inspections
staff and are enforced by both.
On
average Fulton County conducts approximately 3,000 erosion control inspections,
1,500 re-inspections, issues 700 Notices of Violation, 300 Stop Work Orders,
and logs about 20,000 mile per month.
3.
Meetings and Hearings
Fulton County had attendees at the International Erosion Control Association's annual conference and will be participating in several outside conferences, workshops and seminars for growth and development every year. In the near future staff will participate in the DeKalb County Soil and Water Conservation District Annual Erosion and Sedimentation Control Seminar and Exposition.