Cobb County, Ga. is worried about “impervious material.” At issue is a previously unapplied zoning ordinance that would limit the percentage of impervious material, meaning the amount of surface that will not allow water to penetrate into the ground, allowed on residential property. The enforcement of the ordinance is in response to growing concerns by residents and the county commission about storm-water runoff. “A big growth area here is in senior developments, ranch condos and areas on lots less than ½ acre. The house and driveway account for 35% allowance on these lots. Due to the new restrictions, these homes probably won’t qualify for a pool or swim spa” said Craig Shearer, president of Aqua-Rama Pools, an Aquatech member in Marietta, Ga. This would mean a significant loss of business in a flourishing location.

Shearer found the community development director to be impervious to his calls for a meeting regarding the newly enacted restriction in the permit process in the county. “We reacted by getting the media involved and were able to get a fast meeting with the county government.” After Shearer and other builders went to their local television stations, they and a representative from BioLab, Inc. of Lawrenceville, Ga. were able to meet with Rob Hosack, Cobb County commissioner. The builders convinced county officials that pools should not count as impervious material since they can act as reservoirs for rainwater. A compromise was reached however, there is a requirement that a “professional engineer or surveyor” be involved to ensure adherence to the zoning requisites.

According to Shearer, this new rule could increase the time it takes to get a permit by 2 to 3 weeks and cost an additional $2000. The county responded by offering builders the use of its software to make calculations in lieu of professional engineering participation.

Rapid action on the part of the builders resolved most of the concerns at the meeting. Craig Shearer and his fellow builders now hope to persuade the county to increase allowances from 35% to 40% on these smaller lots.

Adapted from an article by Katherine Wang, Pool & Spa News