Walton County, GA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Article 11, Part 11-2 of the Walton County Land Development Ordinance requires anyone proposing development or construction in the county to submit a Stormwater Management Plan and Hydrology Study to the Planning and Development Department for review and approval, unless the project falls under a listed exemption. B requires a combination of storage and controlled release of runoff for any development that increases the peak runoff rate by more than one cubic foot per second for a ten-year frequency storm, though the Director can waive this if engineering analysis shows a waiver would not measurably worsen downstream flooding.

Section 11-2-130 exempts agricultural and forestry activities, additions to existing detached single-family homes, construction of a stand-alone detached single-family dwelling, non-residential projects disturbing less than 5,000 square feet, certain developments discharging directly into a FEMA 100-year flood zone with sediment basins in place, and residential developments of single-family homes on lots of five acres or more. Detention facility design must hold post-development peak release rates at or below pre-development rates through the 50-year storm and safely pass the 100-year storm without damaging the dam or structure.

Maintenance of stormwater facilities in residential and commercial developments falls to the mandatory homeowners or property owners association, though Walton County retains the right, but not the obligation, to access any facility for maintenance. Violating an approved Stormwater Management Plan exposes a developer to enforcement action and forfeiture of the performance surety posted under Section 11-2-200.