Georgia Water Supply Watershed Protection — DCA Part V Environmental Planning Criteria (GA)
Tracked preemption from the Georgia overlay bundle.
Overview
← All state preemptionsGeorgia overlay roll-upGeorgia zoning wikiGeorgia building codesFederal overlaysGlossaryFederal-conflict: Not flagged
Effective
1992-03-01
Sunset
—
Authority
state
Scope
state:GA
Other Georgia preemptions
Georgia Short-Term Rentals — No State PreemptionGeorgia Density / ADU / Design Review — No State PreemptionGeorgia Tree Canopy / Tree Ordinance — No Statewide PreemptionGeorgia Military Installation & Airport Compatible-Use Zoning ReviewGeorgia Local Hazard Mitigation Plan — FEMA Stafford Act §322 ComplianceGeorgia Service Delivery Strategy Act (HB 489) — Intergovernmental Coordination MandateGeorgia Groundwater Recharge Area Protection — DCA Part V Environmental Planning CriteriaGeorgia Wetlands Protection — DCA Part V Environmental Planning Criteria
Trigger predicate
When this evaluates true for a parcel, the law's preempted fields take precedence over base zoning.
city.in_water_supply_watershed == TruePreempted fields
4 fields on the base district schema are rewritten when the trigger fires.
| Field | Op | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
base_districts[*].min_small_watershed_stream_buffer_ft | floor_at | 100 | 100-ft undisturbed natural vegetative buffer along perennial streams within 7-mi radius of a small water supply intake (drainage area <100 mi²) |
base_districts[*].min_large_watershed_stream_buffer_ft | floor_at | 100 | 100-ft undisturbed natural vegetative buffer along perennial streams within 7-mi radius of a large water supply intake (drainage area ≥100 mi²) |
base_districts[*].max_impervious_surface_pct_in_watershed | cap_at | 25 | Rule 391-3-16-.01: maximum 25% impervious surface within the 7-mi inner zone of small water supply watersheds; stricter local limits permitted |
base_districts[*].prohibited_uses_in_water_supply_watershed | add | ['new_sanitary_landfill', 'new_hazardous_waste_treatment_or_disposal_facility', 'new_facilities_handling_more_than_de_minimis_hazardous_materials'] | Mandatory minimum restrictions on land uses with high pollution potential within the protected watershed |
Citation
Authority source
O.C.G.A. §12-2-8 (DNR minimum planning standards); Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-3-16-.01 (Criteria for Water Supply Watersheds); §12-5-470 et seq. (water supply protection)
§ Rule 391-3-16-.01 (Water Supply Watersheds)
Research notes
Required as a condition of DCA Qualified Local Government (QLG) status. Distinguishes small (<100 mi² drainage) vs. large (≥100 mi²) public water supply watersheds, each with the 7-mi protected radius from the surface water intake. Particularly relevant for jurisdictions in the Lake Lanier (Hall, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Dawson), Lake Allatoona (Cherokee, Cobb, Bartow, Cherokee), Lake Hartwell (Hart, Franklin, Stephens), and Lake Sinclair watersheds that supply metro and exurban populations. Companion to Rule 391-3-16-.02 (Groundwater Recharge), 391-3-16-.04 (Wetlands), 391-3-16-.05 (River Corridors), 391-3-16-.07 (Mountain Protection). Stricter local standards permitted and common in Atlanta-region jurisdictions sourcing from Lake Lanier.