Forsyth County, GA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit
- required before any land disturbance begins
- State fee
- capped at $80 per disturbed acre
- Bond
- $3,000-$5,000 per disturbed acre
- Buffers
- 25-ft state waters; 50-ft trout streams
- Residential grading cap
- 20 acres disturbed at once
- Fines
- up to $1,000/day admin; $2,500/day court
Summary
Forsyth County requires a land-disturbing activity permit before any grading begins, backed by the county's Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Ordinance. Applicants pay a state fee capped at $80 per disturbed acre plus a $3,000-to-$5,000-per-acre performance bond, and projects must hold at least a 25-foot undisturbed buffer along state waters, 50 feet along trout streams.
(1)No person shall conduct any land-disturbing activity within the jurisdictional boundaries of Forsyth County without first obtaining a permit from Forsyth County to perform such activity...(4)In addition to the local permitting fees and plan review fees, fees will also be assessed pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 12-5-23(a)(5)(B), provided that such fees shall not exceed $80.00 per acre of land-disturbing activity...(6)The local issuing authority may require the permit applicant to post a bond or irrevocable letter of credit...The amount of the bond or irrevocable letter of credit, or combination thereof, shall be $3,000.00 per disturbed acre or fraction thereof of the proposed land disturbing activity, except that...the director of engineering shall have the discretion to increase the bond amount up to a total of $5,000.00 per disturbed acre or fraction thereof.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 43).
Full Breakdown
Section 34-35 of the Code of Ordinances makes it unlawful to conduct any land-disturbing activity in unincorporated Forsyth County without first obtaining a permit from the county's local issuing authority, the Department of Engineering. § 12-5-23(a)(5)(B). 00 per acre where special circumstances warrant extra protection; unresolved violations let the county forfeit the bond to hire a contractor and stabilize the site itself. Section 34-34(b)(16) sets a 25-foot undisturbed vegetative buffer along the banks of state waters, widened to 50 feet along designated trout streams, measured from the point normal stream flow has wrested away vegetation; narrow utility and sewer-line crossings are allowed only within tight limits.
3. Two or more permit violations within three years give the county grounds to deny a new application. Permits must be acted on within 45 days of a complete application, and no permit issues until the Tax Commissioner certifies the parcel's ad valorem taxes are current.
Violations & Fines
A first or second violation draws a written warning with five days to correct; failing that, or any violation posing an imminent threat, brings an immediate stop-work order. Administrative fines run up to $1,000.00 per day, or a magistrate citation up to $2,500.00 per day. Minimum penalties are $250.00 per day for single-family construction, $1,000.00 per day for other structures, and $1,000.00 per day for any state-waters buffer violation, alongside required buffer revegetation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit before grading land in Forsyth County?
How close to a stream can I disturb land in Forsyth County?
What happens if I disturb land in Forsyth County without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Forsyth County
Compare Forsyth County to another location·View the Georgia environmental rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.