A local inspector, through frequent visits, would be able to closely monitor the site to be sure the erosion plan is being followed and is adequate to keep any sediment on site, Gibson said. If a site is found to be out of compliance, the inspector can then work with the developer and property owner to see that practices are improved. One difference between the county's proposed ordinance and state law, Gibson said, is that the local ordinance holds the property owner, not the developer or contractor, liable in the event of violations. The notification procedure for disturbances smaller than an acre is another important feature, Gibson said. The objective of the proposed ordinance, Gibson said, is to protect streams.
Dirt kills trout eggs and fills up the lakes that produce hydroelectric power.
If the draft ordinance is enacted, county Manager Jay Denton said he plans to include money for the salary of an enforcement officer in the next fiscal year's budget. Initial enforcement would be through the building permits office, Denton said. Sedimentation is the number one water pollutant in Western North Carolina, said Gibson, a community development specialist at Western North Carolina Tomorrow. To that end WNC Tomorrow plans workshops May 1-3 in Franklin, Fletcher and Boone to educate regional residents about the provisions of the Sedimentation Pollution Control Act of 1973. For information on the sessions, call Gibson at 227-7492.