CompletedDocks and piers
New docks, rebuilds, rails and ladders. On Lake Carroll that means a dock that stays inside 20 feet from the shoreline, sized for the boats the lake allows.
Lake Carroll, Carrollton, Georgia
Lake Carroll docks, piers and shoreline work
The city rules for a private dock on Lake Carroll, in plain English, with the code section next to every rule.
- 17+ years in the trade
- Based in Villa Rica, GA
The short answer
Yes, with a city permit.
You can build a private dock on Lake Carroll if you get written consent and a permit from the City of Carrollton building official first. The code allows private docks, piers and boathouses, with limits: no more than 20 feet out, and boathouses dug back into your own lot.
Lake Carroll is one of the city's drinking-water reservoirs, which is why the rules are tight. Ambrose builds docks and shoreline work across West Georgia and can size a plan to those limits before you go to city hall.
The rules
What the city requires.
Lake Carroll is a city reservoir, so the rules come from the City of Carrollton code, Section 70-58 for docks and Section 70-46 for boats. Each rule links to the code. Confirm your own lot with the building official.
Permission
"The shoreline of Lake Carroll shall not be altered or changed in any manner whatsoever without written consent and a permit granted by the building official at city hall." That covers docks, piers, boathouses and bank work.
The permit "will not be unreasonably withheld" if the work does not hinder the use and purpose of the lake and does not adversely affect your neighbors. The building official can attach conditions.
You submit a plan showing size, location, construction materials, use and design. The dock also has to meet the zoning ordinance, and you need a valid building permit.
Size and placement
No dock, pier or related structure may extend more than 20 feet from the shoreline into the lake.
One structure per parcel fronting the lake, and no more than one per 100 feet of shoreline.
Boathouses "must be dug back into the lake front owner's property so as not to extend out into the water."
The building official gets access to inspect during construction and periodically after.
After it is built
You carry the cost and the liability. The city can require a dock to be moved or removed at your expense for water quality, and a damaged or unsuitable dock has to come out.
No cleaning docks, decking, piers, boathouses or moored boats with soaps or solvents.
The boats your slip is for
Watercraft top out at 21 feet, 2 inches. Pontoon boats can reach 24 feet. Inboard motors are not permitted, and the speed limit is 30 miles per hour.
Every watercraft needs a city permit, issued by Carrollton Parks and Recreation.
Carrollton Code, Sec. 70-46Carrollton Parks and Recreation permits
What we build
Docks, bank work and lakefront decks.
This is the kind of work we do on lakes around West Georgia. The photos are from our jobs in the region, not from Lake Carroll.
Completed
CompletedRiprap and bank work
Stone placed to hold a bank, with a silt curtain in the water. Any change to the Lake Carroll shoreline needs the building official's written consent first.
CompletedLakefront decks
Decks and stairs on the house side of the shoreline, in pressure-treated lumber or composite, stained when you want it stained.
How it goes
From quote request to permit.
Call the building official
Ask about your lot at 770-830-2000. The permit decision is theirs, and the code allows conditions.
Draw the plan
The city wants size, location, materials, use and design. Send Ambrose a quote request with what you want and we will tell you how it fits the 20 foot limit and the one-per-100-feet rule.
Zoning and building permit
The dock has to meet the zoning ordinance, and a building permit is required on top of the shoreline permit.
Build with inspections
The building official can inspect during construction and periodically afterward, so leave access to the structure.
Keep it up
Maintenance is yours, and the code bars soaps and solvents on docks and moored boats because the lake is a reservoir.
Questions
Straight answers.
Do I need a permit to build a dock on Lake Carroll?
Yes. The code says the shoreline cannot be altered without written consent and a permit from the building official, and a dock also needs a building permit and has to meet zoning.
How far out can a dock go?
No more than 20 feet from the shoreline into the lake. That limit covers docks, piers and related structures.
Can I build a boathouse over the water?
No. The code says boathouses must be dug back into the lakefront owner's property so they do not extend out into the water.
Can I have more than one dock?
One structure per parcel fronting the lake, and no more than one per 100 feet of shoreline.
Can I use soap or cleaning products on my dock or boat?
No. The code forbids cleaning docks, decking, piers, boathouses or moored boats with soaps or solvents. Lake Carroll is a drinking-water reservoir.
How big a boat can I plan the slip for?
Lake Carroll limits boats to 21 feet, 2 inches and pontoon boats to 24 feet, with no inboard motors. Check the full list in Section 70-46.
Planning a dock on Lake Carroll?
Send Ambrose a quote request. Tell us your lot and what you want, and we will tell you straight what the city code allows.
Mon to Fri 8am to 6pm, Sat 8am to 1pm, closed Sunday