Land Disturbance Permitting

The Community Development Department oversees plan review, permitting and enforcement of City development codes, ordinances and other applicable regulations governing land disturbance and land use.
            
Development Process
All construction must comply with current codes, including the zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations, tree ordinance, erosion & sedimentation control ordinance.  You may contact the Permits Coordinator with questions.

Preliminary Plats / Plans
After verifying that the property is located within the City and the current zoning allows the type of project desired, a preliminary plat or site plan should be submitted to Community Development for approval.  All commercial, industrial and multi-family residential development require site plan approval from the City and the Cobb Fire Marshal’s office before building permits may be issued. Residential development resulting from a subdivision of land into two or more parcels requires a preliminary plat.

Concurrent with the site plan or preliminary plat, you may submit all civil construction plans for the project (grading, road engineering, drainage, utility, erosion control and landscaping/tree protection).   Submit 4 sets of plans.

Application, Documentation & Fees
With the application, you are required to submit proof of a filed Notice of Intent with  the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, and Soil & Erosion Control Affidavit, and pay the plan review fees ($1100) and application fee ($150/project acre), land disturbance fees ($80/disturbed acre with one half to the State and the other to the City).

The permits coordinator will submit the application and plans to public works, stormwater and  zoning for review.  Following city approval, the permits coordinator will submit the plans to Georgia Soil & Water Conservation Commission for approval of the Erosion & Sediment Control and Pollution Prevention Plans.  

Approvals
Subsequent to receipt of all approvals, including Fire Marshal approval for all nonresidential development, the City will issue a Land Disturbance Permit, authorizing the permittee to first install best management practices to control runoff.  Upon inspection and approval of the best management practices, a grading permit will be issued enabling the applicant to proceed with streets, utilities and drainage and the preparation of covenants.  Following approval the developer must construct all improvements or present a performance bond for 120%of the cost of the improvements. The Land Disturbance Permit expires after 6 months unless renewed for an additional 6 month period.

Final Plat
After improvements are completed, the developer will submit a final plat to the permits division along with approved covenants and as-builts, payment of street lights and signs, and posting of performance bonds and maintenance bonds.  The final plat will be signed and recorded and submitted to all city departments, Cobb County Tax Assessor and Cobb 911.