Georgia Water/Laws/Planning Act of 1989

Georgia Planning Act of 1989, O.C.G.A. § 12-2-8

General Description
The Act gives the Georgia Department of Natural Resources the authority to establish minimum standards necessary to protect natural resources, including water resources. The minimum standards relating to water include the following topics: (1) watershed protection, including buffers and development density; (2) groundwater protection, including land use activities; (3) wetland protection, including land use and alteration of wetlands; (4) protection of river corridors; and (5) mountain protection, including regulation of wells and septic tanks. The Department can adopt different standards for different areas of the state depending on the specifics of that area.

Specific Protections
Perennial river corridors are to be protected by a minimum 100 foot buffer on both sides, measured from the stream bank. There is an exception for single-family homes, though any septic tank drainfield must be outside the buffer. There is also an exception for roads and utilities under some circumstances.

Local and Regional Planning
The statute requires local and regional governments to identify and map river corridors in conjunction with developing land use plans. The statute then lists considerations that local land use plans must address.