Environmental Planning ...

The Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center (GRDRC) provides environmental planning services to our local governments and collaborates with agencies such as the Coastal Resources Division (CRD) and Environmental Protection Division (EPD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the University of Georgia Marine Extension Service (MAREX), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Such services include: 

• Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) implementation plan development for impaired stream segments located in Coastal Georgia’s five (5) river basins.
• Model ordinance development focused on natural resource protection. 
• Development of projects that address specific topics such as Nonpoint Source (NPS) pollution control.

 The CGRDC completed the following projects in 2005 and 2006:

On-Site Disposal System (OSDS) Model Ordinances

The CGRDC prepared two model ordinances under a grant provided by the Georgia Coastal Incentive Grant (CIG) program. The first ordinance provides the language for a local government to enact a code designed to accomplish three objectives related to the inspection of existing on-site wastewater disposal systems: (1) abate water pollution caused by failing on-site sewage disposal systems; (2) regulate the treatment and dispersal of wastewater from all systems not served by a county-provided or municipal wastewater treatment system; (3) manage the risks to public health, safety, and the natural environment associated with the threat of a malfunction or failure of on-site sewage disposal systems. The second ordinance provides language that can be adopted in a code designed to protect the public health, safety, and natural environment by ensuring maintenance is performed at least once every five years and failing or malfunctioning OSDS’s are corrected by property owners. Click on the following files to view these model ordinances:

• OSDS Inspection Model
• OSDS Maintenance Model

Nonpoint Source Pollution Control – Wetlands Ordinance and Information for Elected Officials and Citizens

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is a major threat to the water quality of the Coastal Georgia region. The CGRDC completed three projects in two phases with funding from the CIG program. 

Phase I was development of a model wetlands ordinance to provide local governments the framework by which to craft a code that meets the needs of their community. Wetlands protection is critical to the coastal region and this ordinance contains language to address threats to wetlands such as filling and conversion to other uses, and damage from unchecked erosion and sedimentation.  Click on the following file to view the model ordinance: 

• Model Wetlands Ordinance

Phase II was designed to give local government leaders and general public informed about NPS and the control measures they can use to protect the wetlands, floodplains, estuaries, and water quality in general. For example, the use of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for land disturbing activities can be useful in controlling what enters the water through the runoff process. To find out more information about NPS pollution and some strategies and methods to control it, click on the following links and files:

• Links to Important Websites
  • U.S. EPA Region 4 Nonpoint Source Website
  • Georgia DNR Green Growth Guidelines
  • DCA Water Resources Toolkit
  • Clean Marina Program (NOAA)
  • Clean Marina Program (UGA)
  • Coastal Nonpoint Source Pollution Management Program
     
• CGRDC NPS Pollution Control Program Brochure - Coming Soon