Commission backs removal of county's 15-foot marsh buffer, deferring to state rules

The Glynn County Islands Planning Commission recommended approval of a zoning amendment that would eliminate the county's 15-foot marsh buffer and instead defer to buffer requirements set by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD).

Planning and Zoning Director Stephanie Leaf told the commission the proposed change would "remove that 15 foot buffer, so it defers entirely to any state requirements and there would no longer be a county requirement." She said if the EPD imposes a 25-foot buffer or grants a variance, the state's determination would control and the county would not layer its own 15-foot setback on top of state rules. Commissioners asked whether other coastal counties maintain additional county buffers; staff said they were aware of at least one county that adds a local buffer on top of state rules but had not completed a comparative review.