Dunwoody City Council holds off on stream regulations

The Dunwoody City Council hit the brakes on a proposal that would have made significant changes to the city’s regulations for stream protection.

On the table Monday night was a proposal to change the definition of a stream, shrink the city’s stream buffer protection from 75 to 50 feet, and create an exemption from regulations for many of the residential lots that could be built on in the city.

Councilman John Heneghan said he had received a lot of comments about the proposal, and that any changes to the ordinance should be reviewed and vetted by the city’s community council, as well as other advisory bodies.

He called for a “full-cycle” review of the proposal. The majority of the council agreed.

“I think the current ordinance should be tweaked and not overhauled,” Councilwoman Lynn Deutsch said.

Councilwomen Adrian Bonser initiated the proposed changes, according to a city report. She said that Dunwoody’s definition of a stream is too broad, and includes things like drainages and ditches that cause builders to have to work around them.

Since the city’s incorporation in 2008, the city has received 21 variance requests from builders related to the stream regulations, according to city staff. Two have been denied, three are pending and 16 have been approved.

“It is causing a problem for builders,” Bonser said.

But the majority on the council were uncomfortable with what they saw as approving sweeping changes Monday to the regulation protecting streams.

The council set any changes to the stream regulations on a slower path. That path, however, would be quicker than the city’s planned revision of its zoning codes - which is in process and is scheduled to be fine-tuned through public hearings this summer.