Marietta, GA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing article
- Article 7-8-12, Soil Erosion, Sedimentation and Pollution Control
- Permit issuer
- Public Works Department
- Standard stream buffer
- 25 feet (50 feet for trout streams)
- District plan review window
- 35 days (Cobb County Soil & Water Conservation District)
- Max civil penalty
- $2,500 per day per violation
- Bond ceiling
- $3,000 per acre
Summary
Marietta's Soil Erosion, Sedimentation and Pollution Control Ordinance, City Code Article 7-8-12, requires a public works department permit before land-disturbing activity and mandates best management practices from the state manual on every covered site. A 25-foot vegetated buffer protects state waters, and violators face stop-work orders plus civil penalties of up to $2,500.00 per day.
1.Best management practices as set forth in Sections 7-8-12-040 B. and C. shall be required for all land-disturbing activities. ... 15.Except as provided in paragraphs 16. and 17. of this subsection, there is established a 25-foot buffer along the banks of all state waters, as measured horizontally from the point where vegetation has been wrested by normal stream flow or wave action ... D.Monetary Penalties. Any person who violates any provisions of this article, or any permit condition or limitation established pursuant to this article, or who negligently or intentionally fails or refuses to comply with any final or emergency order of the director issued as provided in this article shall be liable for a civil penalty not to exceed $2,500.00 per day.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56).
Full Breakdown
Section 7-8-12-050(B) requires a public works department permit, backed by an erosion, sedimentation and pollution control plan, before any land-disturbing activity in the city, along with a copy of any NOI filed with the state Environmental Protection Division. 00 per acre. Section 7-8-12-030 exempts narrow categories: single-family construction disturbing less than one acre and not part of a larger common plan of development, agricultural and forestry operations, Department of Transportation projects, and utility work under Public Service Commission jurisdiction. Section 7-8-12-040(C) sets the substantive standards, including minimizing cut-fill, stabilizing disturbed soil quickly, trapping sediment on-site with basins or silt traps, and, most concretely, a 25-foot buffer along the banks of all state waters measured from the point vegetation has been wrested by normal stream flow, rising to 50 feet along trout streams.
Inspection is handled by the public works department, which can require corrective notice, and the local issuing authority must update its ordinance within 12 months of any change to the state Erosion and Sedimentation Act.
Violations & Fines
A first or second violation draws a written warning with five days to correct; if uncorrected, or on a third violation, the public works department issues an immediate stop-work order under § 7-8-12-070(B). Building without a required permit can also cost the violator's business license or work permit. Section 7-8-12-070(D) makes any violator liable for a civil penalty of up to $2,500.00 per day, enforceable in municipal or magistrate court, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit before disturbing land in Marietta?
How wide is Marietta's required stream buffer?
What penalties apply for erosion control violations?
Sources & Official References
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Erosion Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cobb County handle erosion control.