Commission still looking into erosion laws
Athens-Clarke

May 4, 2005
Athens Banner-Herald
By Blake Aued

The Athens-Clarke Commission asked County Auditor John Wolfe Tuesday to study ways to better enforce sedimentation and erosion laws before they commit to hire two new inspectors.

Commissioner Harry Sims asked Wolfe to prepare a report within 30 days on how to better keep muddy water from running off construction sites into rivers and streams.

Transportation and Public Works Director David Clark asked commissioners for the money to hire the inspectors in July after the state Environmental Protection Division threatened to take away the county's power to issue construction permits because of poor sedimentation and erosion enforcement. Clark also told inspectors earlier in the year to give out more tickets, and has said the stricter enforcement is reducing violations, but inspectors are overworked.

EPD tentatively approved Clark's plan, contingent on the commission approving the extra inspectors, to bring their caseloads down to what the state agency considers an adequate level of about 20 construction sites per inspector, rather than the current 35.

Commissioner States McCarter questioned whether new inspectors will solve the problem.

"There's no question we need it," he said. "The point is, we can add people and still not get the results."

The commission voted 9-1 to table the issue, with Commissioner Charles Carter voting to approve the new inspectors.

"We've got to have somebody out there with the authority to do something," Carter said.
Other commissioners agreed the new inspectors are necessary, but said other measures might need to be taken as well.

McCarter suggested Wolfe's report might reveal a need to reorganize sedimentation and erosion enforcement, as county officials did after an audit of the Marshal's Office in 2003, when they created the Community Protection Division to handle enforcement of other ordinances.

Three county departments enforce the state and local erosion control laws now. Public Works inspects single lots, while Building Permits and Inspections handles commercial and multi-family developments, and CPD picks up slack from both.