Erosion, Sedimentation and Pollution
The Erosion, Sedimentation & Pollution Control Program is designed to reduce or eliminate sediment discharge and other pollutants from entering city streets, the stormwater system, and local waterways.
The City Engineering Department issues: Land Disturbance Permits, Right-of-Way Encroachment Permits, and Subdivision Construction Plan approvals. Submittals of forms, documentation, and plans for these permits are made directly to the Engineering Department.
There is no online application/program/portal for these submittals. Printed hard copy submittals are required.
Land owners must obtain a Land Disturbance Permit for projects with 1 acre or more of disturbed area within the City of Valdosta.
As of the July 1, 2026 implementation of 2026-SB447, the Engineering Department DOES NOT accept submittals by email of LDP Application Packages.
NOTE: In addition to the locally issued Land Disturbance Permit (LDP), construction activities of one acre and larger MUST obtain coverage from Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) under the appropriate NPDES general permit.
As the Local Issuing Authority (LIA), the City operates our Land Disturbance Permit (LDP) program under a Memorandum of Agreement with the Georgia EPD. Georgia state law and EPD regulations require records be maintained by the LIA, and the City of Valdosta has elected to maintain hard copy records.
Complete application packages must be submitted to the Engineering offices on the second floor of the Valdosta City Hall Annex. Engineering staff will provide a receipt of submittal to the individual delivering the LDP application package. In accordance with 2026-SB447, as of July 1, 2026 application packages will be reviewed for completeness within 5 business days of submittal. Incomplete application packages will not be reviewed, and the applicant will be notified of deficiencies. Such notifications will be made by email to the email address(es) listed on the application.
The current LDP Application Form along with the Tree Removal Permit form and the Stormwater Facility Maintenance form are available below.
The following checklist information shown below is pulled from that LDP Application Form and lists all documents and components required for a complete application package:
- Application Form, completed and signed.
- Notarized Letter of authorization: If Applicant is not the Property Owner, a Notarized Letter from the Owner(s), including phone number and address, authorizing the applicant to act on their behalf.
- Fee payments in the form of checks:
- Project Fee in the amount of $40.00 per acre of disturbed area (rounded to the nearest 1/10th acre), and
- Application Review Fee in the amount $125.00.
- Copy/documentation of GEOS submittal for NPDES coverage from GA DNR website.
- Documentation of Payment of Ad Valorem Taxes: documentation from the Lowndes County Tax Assessor or printout from their website indicating that all ad valorem taxes for the property are currently paid in full.
- Trees:
- Tree Removal Permit (2 Copies) and
- Buffer and Tree Replacement Plan(s).
- Printed plans and reports:
- Four (4) printed copies of the Soil Erosion, Sedimentation & Pollution Control Plan Set (required by LDR Chapter 302; these 4 hard copy sets must include the erosion & sedimentation control sheets; once approved, one stamped/approved set will be provided to the applicant as the official Permit and must be retained onsite)
- Two (2) printed copies of the Hydrology Report
- NPDES Checklist completed and signed (2 Copies OR included in printed Plan Sets)
For projects with stormwater management facilities (water quality treatment, peak flow mitigation/detention, etc.) which are not associated with Commercial Site Development or Subdivision Development, a Stormwater Facility Maintenance Agreement will be required prior to LDP issuance.
Local and state laws and regulations allow forty-five days for initial review by the LIA of complete LDP application package submittals. Typical review times are usually seven to fifteen days. Written notification will be provided to the applicant for submittals which are denied; identification of deficiencies will be included in the written notification. Email is considered sufficient for written notification. Such notifications will be made by email to the email address(es) listed on the application.
Requirements
Requirements extend to all construction activity within the municipality and all construction sites, regardless of size or ownership. The ordinance applies to commercial and industrial operations, residential practices, and construction site operations.
Why is Erosion a Problem?
Stormwater (or other runoff), as it flows across land and hard surfaces such as concrete, asphalt pavement, or roofs can pick up sediment, pet wastes or other pollutants such as lawn chemicals, automobile oil and grease, airborne dust, and construction site soil and rock. These pollutants can then be deposited into the stormwater system and/or directly into a waterway untreated.