§ 1102. Findings.

(a)

Land development projects and other land use conversions, and their associated changes to land cover, permanently alter the hydrologic response of local watersheds and increase stormwater runoff rates and volumes, which in turn increase flooding, stream channel erosion, and sediment transport and deposition.

(b)

Land development projects and other land use conversions also contribute to increased nonpoint source pollution and degradation of receiving waters.

(c)

The impacts of post-development stormwater runoff quantity and quality can adversely affect public safety, public and private property, drinking water supplies, recreation, fish and other aquatic life, property values and other uses of lands and waters.

(d)

These adverse impacts can be controlled and minimized through regulation of stormwater runoff quantity and quality from land development by the use of structural facilities as well as nonstructural measures, such as the conservation of greenspace.

(e)

Compliance by local governments in the state of Georgia with a number of both state and federal laws, regulations and permits is mandated to address the impacts of post-development stormwater runoff quality and nonpoint source pollution.

(f)

It is reasonable to establish this set of stormwater management requirements to regulate post-development stormwater runoff for protecting local water resources from degradation. The regulation of post-development stormwater runoff discharges in order to control and minimize increases in stormwater runoff rates and volumes, post-construction soil erosion and sedimentation, stream channel erosion and nonpoint source pollution associated with post-development stormwater runoff is in the public interest.

(Ord. No. 17-003 , § 1, 10-2-2017)