Soil and Water Conservation Report for January 2000
by Alan Toney
The City of Atlanta continues to avoid compliance with the law. The Fulton County Soil and Water Conservation District has completely revoked the city's Memorandum of Agreement. This means that the District is reviewing development plans submitted for all land disturbing activities within the city limits. The City seems quite comfortable with this arrangement, but now the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) of the State of Georgia has given the City 30 days to make changes or to be de-certified as an issuing authority. The City should be embarrassed by these developments, but they continue to deny that they have problems. Interestingly, the District has received a lot of support from neighborhood organizations, environmental groups, and developers. It seems that everyone on both sides of the development fence is fed up with the City of Atlanta. Now it is up to EPD.
On a lighter note Fulton County Government continues to make progress with their Erosion and Sedimentation program. It is extremely difficult to keep 3,000 working permits in compliance with erosion and sedimentation laws. It seems that you must have enough staff to visit each site weekly to make sure developers are maintaining their "Best Management Practices". Fulton County's efforts have produced a positive impact on the waterways of the county and Fulton County has asked to be removed from probation. The District will formally review their program later this month.
Also there has been a drop-off in citizen complaints; I hope this means things are getting better and not that citizens are just becoming complacent.
In DeKalb County the Soil and Water Conservation District has been busy in their encouragement of DeKalb government toward better compliance with the Clean Water Act. Toward that goal, five additional inspectors have been hired, placing in the field a total of eight inspectors whose duties include enforcement of the new tree ordinance. However, emphasis at the department head level seems to be more oriented toward regaining full control of the development process through a restored Memorandum of Agreement that in incorporating sound environmental principles that would better the quality of life for DeKalb citizens.
In the coming months, the DeKalb Board of Commissioners will be presented with an updated draft of the new Development Code (Chapter 14) being put together by outside consultants. Within the proposed code, Section 14-42 addresses water quality issues and includes an increased stream buffer which is sorely needed in our urban setting. DeKalb citizens need to go to their public library, review the proposed new Development Code document, and make sure their voices are heard. This is an important opportunity that we will have only once. Let's use it wisely.
Last updated: 30 Jan 00