South Fulton, GA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Land disturbance permit before grading/excavating/filling
- Permit fee
- $125 minimum per acre, plus state fee
- Bond
- Up to $3,000 per acre, forfeitable
- Buffers
- 25 ft state waters, 50 ft trout streams
- Civil penalty
- Up to $2,500 per day of violation
- First offense fine
- $250 for working without a permit
- Enforcing dept
- Dept. of Community Development / Environment
Summary
Any land-disturbing activity in South Fulton, from grading to excavation to foundation work, needs a land disturbance permit from the Department of Community Development Services before work starts. Permit fees run at least $125 per acre, plans need a certified design professional, and the city can require a performance bond and issue stop-work orders for noncompliance.
No person shall conduct any land disturbing activity within the jurisdictional boundaries of the city without first obtaining a permit from the city's Department of Community Development Services or its successor to perform such activity. ... A minimum fee of $125.00, as set by the city council of the city, shall be charged for each acre or fraction thereof of the project area. ... Any person who violates any provisions of this chapter, or any permit condition or limitation established pursuant to this chapter, shall be liable for a civil penalty not to exceed $2,500.00 per day. ... Conducting land disturbance activities without a land disturbance permit or building permit (first offense)—$250.00 for each violation or each day on which a violation exists.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
, which certifies the city as a local issuing authority. Section 14-2006(b) requires a land disturbance permit from the city's Department of Community Development Services before any grading, excavating, filling, or foundation work begins, and it takes an approved and recorded legal lot of record before an applicant can even apply. § 12-5-23(a)(5). 00 per acre before issuing the permit, which the city can forfeit and use to hire a contractor if the site falls out of compliance. Projects developed in phases need a separate permit for each phase, capped at 25-acre increments, and the city must act on a complete application within 45 days.
Minimum requirements in Section 14-2005 set a 25-foot buffer along state waters and a 50-foot buffer along trout streams, measured from where vegetation has been wrested by normal stream flow, and require best management practices consistent with the state's Manual for Erosion and Sediment Control in Georgia. Violations draw a notice to comply, then a stop-work order if uncorrected within five days, or immediately if the violation threatens public health or state waters.
Violations & Fines
Under Section 14-2011(f), violating the chapter, a permit condition, or a director's order carries a civil penalty of up to $2,500.00 per day. Minimum penalties apply too: $250.00 for a first offense of working without a land disturbance or building permit, $1,000.00 for a second or subsequent offense, $250.00 for failing to properly install or maintain best management practices, and $500.00, rising to $1,500.00, for working under a stop-work order. The Department of Environment and Community Development enforces the chapter and can also revoke a violator's business license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to grade or clear land in South Fulton?
How much does an erosion control permit cost in South Fulton?
What happens if I disturb land without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in South Fulton
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Erosion Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fulton County handle erosion control.