Garland County, AR Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Approval required
- Written county judge approval before construction
- Administering agency
- Garland County Inspections Division (GCID)
- Appeal path
- GCID to Planning Committee to quorum court
- Base penalty
- $100-$500 per offense, § 56-54
- Continuing violation
- Up to $250/day
Summary
In unincorporated Garland County, no storm drainage facility, including pipes, channels or streams, can be built, altered or extended in a subdivision, development or public right-of-way without written approval from the county judge, per Garland County Code § 56-31. The ordinance protects water quality and keeps the county compliant with its federal NPDES stormwater discharge permit under § 56-46.
(1)No storm drainage facility, whether an enclosed structure, pipe, open channel, or stream, shall be constructed, altered, extended, or reconstructed within a subdivision, planned development, or a developed area or within a public right-of-way, whether public ownership or easement, or discharging into or upon a public right-of-way of Garland County without first obtaining written approval of the county judge and all such construction shall meet or exceed the requirements of these drainage specifications. ... It is the purpose of this article to: (a)Protect, maintain, and enhance the environment of the Garland County (GC) and the public health, safety and the general welfare of the citizens of the county, by controlling discharges of pollutants to the county's stormwater system and to maintain and improve the quality of the receiving waters into which the stormwater outfalls flow, including, without limitation, lakes, rivers, streams, ponds, wetlands, and groundwater of the county.(b)Enable GC to comply with the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit (NPDES) and applicable regulations for Stormwater discharges.
Full Breakdown
Garland County Code Chapter 56, Article II, Division 2, the Stormwater and Drainage Ordinance, governs any construction, alteration, extension or reconstruction of a storm drainage facility, whether an enclosed structure, pipe, open channel or stream, within a subdivision, planned development or developed area, or discharging into or upon a public right-of-way anywhere in unincorporated Garland County. Section 56-31 requires written approval of the county judge before that work begins, and the completed facility must meet or exceed the county's drainage specifications. Where the ordinance conflicts with another county rule, the more restrictive standard controls.
Section 56-46 sets the ordinance's purpose: protecting and enhancing the county's lakes, rivers, streams, ponds, wetlands and groundwater from pollutant discharges into the stormwater system, and enabling the county to comply with its National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Under that authority the county regulates the planning, location, construction, operation and maintenance of stormwater facilities regardless of ownership, adopts rules and a fee system, sets standards for stormwater quantity and contaminants, reviews plans and plats for new developments, issues stormwater clearances, and can suspend or revoke a permit for violating the ordinance or an NPDES condition.
Day-to-day administration runs through the Garland County Inspections Division (GCID) under the county judge; an applicant who disagrees with a GCID decision can appeal to the Garland County Planning Committee, and from there to the quorum court, per § 56-33.
Violations & Fines
Violating the stormwater ordinance is enforced through a stepped process: verbal or written notice of noncompliance, a certified notice of violation, citation to Hot Springs District Court, and a monetary penalty, with the most severe or repeated violations referred to the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. Fines run $100.00 to $500.00 per offense, or double that for a repeat violation, and a continuing violation can add up to $250.00 per day, under § 56-54.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need approval before building a drainage structure in Garland County?
Who enforces Garland County's stormwater ordinance?
What is the purpose of Garland County's stormwater rules?
What are the penalties for violating Garland County's stormwater ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Garland County
Compare Garland County to another location·View the Arkansas environmental rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.