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Page 1 April 2017 MINOR LAND-DISTURBING ACTIVITIES The intent of this document is to clarify minor land-disturbing activities as defined in GESA and the NPDES General Permits for Storm Water Discharges Associated with Construction Activity Common Development and Stand Alone Permits, as follows: A. As per O.C.G.A. 12-7-17(3), minor land-disturbing activities are exempt from the Georgia Erosion and Sedimentation Act (GESA): “Such minor land-disturbing activities as home gardens and individual home landscaping, repairs, maintenance work, fences, and other related activities which result in minor soil erosion.” The following land-disturbing activities are examples of projects not specifically listed in O.C.G.A. 12-7-17(3) that would be considered minor land-disturbing activities and therefore, exempt from GESA and the applicable buffer requirements for State waters: 1. Structures including, but not limited to decks, patios, gazebos, walkways, viewing platforms, picnic shelters, fire pits, BBQ pits, and sign kiosks, provided: a. The encroachment into the buffer is 100 square feet or less, b. Disturbance of existing buffer vegetation is minimized, and c. The site is stabilized at the end of each day with temporary or permanent stabilization measures until project completion. 2. Placement of rip rap, provided: a. Project is 100 linear feet or less of rip rap, b. Total amount of rip rap allowed in the buffer is 1000 square feet, c. Disturbance of existing buffer vegetation is minimized, and d. The site is stabilized at the end of each day with temporary or permanent stabilization measures until project completion. ---PAGE BREAK--- [Type text] Page 2 April 2017 B. As per Part1(C)(1)(c), minor land-disturbing activities are exempt from coverage under the NPDES General Permits for Storm Water Discharges Associated with Construction Activity Common Development and Stand Alone Permits (Permit), “coverage under this permit is not required for discharges of storm water associated with minor land-disturbing activities (such as home gardens and individual home landscaping, repairs, maintenance work, fences and other related activities which result in minor soil erosion conducted outside of the 25 foot buffer along the banks of all State Waters requiring a buffer and outside of the 50 foot buffer along the banks of all State waters classified as “trout streams” requiring a buffer…”: The following land-disturbing activities are examples of projects not specifically listed in Part1(C)(1)(c) of the NPDES General Permits for Storm Water Discharges Associated with Construction Activity Common Development and Stand Alone Permits that would be considered minor land-disturbing activities and therefore, exempt from coverage under the NPDES General Permit: 1. Structures including, but not limited to decks, patios, gazebos, walkways, viewing platforms, picnic shelters, fire pits, BBQ pits, and sign kiosks, provided: a. The residential lot is occupied by an individual homeowner and has been completed and undergone final stabilization as per the Permit, b. The activity is conducted outside the 25 and/or 50 foot State mandated buffers, c. The project area is 100 square feet or less, d. Disturbance of existing vegetation is minimized, and e. The site is stabilized at the end of each day with temporary or permanent stabilization measures until project completion.