Dawson County moves toward in-house erosion-control plan review with SWCD memorandum of agreement

Dawson County community development staff told commissioners Sept. 4 they are seeking board approval for a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Upper Chattahoochee River Soil and Water Conservation District to allow full in-house review of erosion and sedimentation control portions of civil plans.

"Community development currently holds the title of local issuing authority for civil plans review," Community Development Director Richard Osborne said. He said the change would reduce permitting time for land-disturbance permits that currently require review by state staff in Athens.

Osborne said county staff have been working on documentation and a co-review process with state staff during August to November and that both the Upper Chattahoochee River SWCD and the state Soil and Water Conservation Commission must also approve the MOA. "Once all groups have approved and the August to November current coreview process is over, county staff in December would begin the in house review if the board of commissioners approve this MOA and then the different state related groups approve it," he said.

Osborne identified staff involved in the effort by name: "For our county staff, Lacey Edwards, our erosion control plan reviewer, has been doing a great job of working through this documentation process and doing planned review on a coreview basis with the state. And then Logan Hammond does a great job as our inspector for erosion control."

Staff said similar arrangements are being pursued by Forsyth County and the City of Dawsonville.

Osborne told the board he would present a motion to approve the MOA on Sept. 18, subject to signoff by the SWCD and the state commission. Board members asked clarifying questions and indicated support for the time savings the change could deliver; no formal approval was recorded at the Sept. 4 work session.