DeKalb County, GA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- 1+ acre of land disturbance
- Applies to
- Unincorporated DeKalb County only
- Civil penalty
- Up to $2,500 per day
- Performance bond
- Up to $3,000 per acre
- State water buffer
- 25 ft (50 ft trout streams)
- Permit decision window
- 45 days after complete application
- Enforcing office
- Development director / EPD
Summary
Any land-disturbing activity of one acre or more in unincorporated DeKalb County requires a land disturbance permit under Code § 14-38, along with an approved erosion, sedimentation and pollution control plan meeting state minimum standards. The development director can deny the permit, order a stop-work, and fine violators up to $2,500 per day.
(b)Standards.(1)[General requirements.] Any land-disturbing activity permitted under this chapter shall be carried out in accordance with the Georgia Erosion and Sedimentation Act of 1975, as amended; this chapter; and the permit conditions specified by the director...(5)b.1. No person shall conduct any land-disturbing activity within the jurisdictional boundaries of county without first obtaining a permit from the development director to perform such activity, and providing a copy of the notice of intent submitted to the EPD, if applicable...(7)d. Monetary penalties. Any person who violates any provisions of this section...shall be liable for a civil penalty not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) per day, or the maximum amount authorized by section 1-10 of the Code of DeKalb County. Each day during which violation or failure or refusal to comply continues shall be a separate violation.
Full Breakdown
DeKalb County Code § 14-38 governs soil erosion and sedimentation control for unincorporated DeKalb only; Decatur, Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Tucker, Stonecrest, Chamblee, Doraville, Clarkston, Avondale Estates, Lithonia, Pine Lake, Stone Mountain and the Atlanta sliver run their own codes. 1). Exemptions cover home gardens, individual landscaping, agricultural operations, forestry management, and single-family construction disturbing under one acre that is not part of a larger common plan of development of one acre or more (§ 14-38(b)(3)). Applications need eight copies of the erosion, sedimentation and pollution control plan; the district must approve or disapprove within 35 days (silence counts as approval), and the director must issue or deny the permit within 45 days of a complete application (§ 14-38(b)(5)). 7). 15-16). 6).
Violations & Fines
Starting land-disturbing work without a permit exposes the responsible party to revocation of any business license or work permit tied to activity in unincorporated DeKalb County (§ 14-38(b)(7)a). First and second violations on a site draw a written notice with five days to correct before a stop-work order follows; a third violation triggers an immediate stop-work order (§ 14-38(b)(7)b). Civil penalties reach $2,500 per day per violation under section 1-10 of the Code, with each day of continued noncompliance counted as a separate offense, and an unremedied violation forfeits any posted performance bond (§ 14-38(b)(7)c-d).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does DeKalb's erosion ordinance cover Decatur or Dunwoody?
Is my single-family home build exempt from the permit?
What happens if I start grading without a permit?
How big a bond or fee should I budget for a permit?
Can I build right up to a stream on my lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in DeKalb County
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