Whitfield County, GA Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)

Article IV of Chapter 5, the Whitfield County Soil Erosion, Sedimentation and Pollution Control Ordinance (Sec. 5-70), covers land-disturbing activity countywide with exemptions for things like home gardens, agricultural operations, and single-family construction disturbing less than one acre outside a larger common development (Sec. 5-72). Sec. 5-74(b)(1) states that no person shall conduct any land-disturbing activity within the jurisdictional boundaries of Whitfield County without first obtaining a permit from the county engineer's erosion/stormwater inspections office, along with a copy of any notice of intent filed with the state Environmental Protection Division where required.

The application must include an erosion, sedimentation and pollution control plan, in three copies, demonstrating compliance with the minimum best-management-practice requirements of Sec. 5-73, which set a default 25-foot vegetated buffer along the banks of state waters and a 50-foot buffer along trout streams. 00 per acre of disturbance before issuing it (Sec. 5-74). 00 per acre of land-disturbing activity apply and are split with the state Environmental Protection Division where the county is a certified local issuing authority (Sec. 5-74(b)(3)). The Whitfield County certified inspector periodically inspects permitted sites and issues written notices to comply when work strays from the approved plan (Sec. 5-75).