50-foot undisturbed buffer contemplated with additional 25-foot impervious buffer

The Peachtree City Council will consider Thursday night adoption of an ordinance requiring a 50-foot undisturbed buffer along streams and an additional 25 foot buffer beyond that where no impervious surface could be built.

These buffers, required by the North Georgia Water Planning District, will not affect property owners along Lake Kedron or Lake Peachtree, city officials said.

According to the city, the ordinance has several exemptions to the buffers, including:

-- stream crossings by a driveway, transportation route or utility line;
-- public water supply intake or public wastewater outfall structures;
-- intrusions necessary to provide access to a property;
-- public access facilities that must be on the water including boat ramps, docks, foot trails leading directly to the stream, fishing platforms and overlooks;
-- unpaved foot trails and paths; and
-- activities to restore and enhance stream bank stability, vegetation, water quality and/or aquatic habitat, so long as native vegetation and bioengineering techniques are used.

For parcels which have certain rights conveyed via deed or title, construction or maintenance of docks or access points is allowed as long as they are not increased in size or scope after the ordinance's effective date, the city said.

Although the ordinance doesn't affect the lakes, it could affect streams that drain into the lakes depending on grandfather and exemption provisions, city officials said.

According to city Stormwater Manager Mark Caspar, the city will review all proposals for land disturbance to determine of the stream buffer setbacks apply.

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