§ 109-202. Title, findings and purpose.

(a)

Title of article. This article shall be known as the "Chattahoochee River Water Supply Watershed Protection Ordinance."

(b)

Findings of fact.

(1)

In order to provide for the health, safety and welfare of the public and a healthy economic climate within the city and surrounding communities, it is essential that the quality of public drinking water be ensured. The ability of natural systems to filter stormwater runoff can be threatened by unrestricted development. Land disturbing activities associated with development can increase erosion and sedimentation which threatens the storage capacity of reservoirs. In addition, stormwater runoff, particularly from impervious surfaces, can introduce toxicants, nutrients and sediment into drinking water supplies, making water treatment more complicated and expensive and rendering water resources unusable for recreation. Industrial land uses that involve the manufacture, use, transport and storage of hazardous or toxic waste materials result in the potential risk of contamination of nearby public drinking water supplies.

(2)

The city has determined that land inside the city lies within the Chattahoochee River Water Supply Watershed. This watershed is greater than 100 square miles in size and is categorized as a large water supply watershed under the provisions of this article. As of the date of adoption of this article, no portion of the city lies within seven miles upstream of a water supply reservoir but a portion of the city lies within seven miles upstream of an active water supply intake.

(c)

Purpose. The purpose of this article is to establish measures to protect the quality and quantity of the present and future water supply of the city; to minimize the transport of pollutants and sediment to the water supply; and to maintain the yield of the water supply watershed. This article shall apply to the portions of the Chattahoochee River Watershed, which occur within the jurisdiction of the city and are herein identified as water supply watershed.

(Code 1998, § 102-239; Ord. No. 09-99, 6-7-1999)