CompletedDocks and boathouses
Floating docks, lifts and boathouses for the West Point Lake shoreline, planned to the Corps limits.
Heard County, Georgia
Heard County decks, docks and fences
Built to the county code in Franklin and out in the county, and to the Corps plan on the West Point Lake shoreline.
- 17+ years in the trade
- Based in Villa Rica, GA
The short answer
Yes, and it starts with a county permit.
We build decks, docks, fences, screened porches and remodels in Heard County. A deck or addition needs a county building permit, and a dock on West Point Lake needs a Corps of Engineers permit on top of that.
Heard also has flood, stream and historic-area rules, and Franklin runs its own zoning inside city limits. Send Ambrose a quote request with the address and we will tell you which apply before you file.
The rules
What Heard County and Franklin require.
Each rule comes from the Heard County code, the Franklin zoning ordinance or the Corps plan for West Point Lake, and links to its section. Offices read their own codes, so confirm your lot before you pay anyone.
The county permit
No building or other structure is erected, moved, added to or structurally altered without a county building permit, and none is issued until the board of health approves the water supply and sewage plans.
Get the permit at least eight hours before work starts.
Fences and floodplain
In the flood hazard district, a fence is allowed only if it puts no material obstruction in the way of floodwater, and water gaps are allowed.
Heard County Code, Sec. 46-158Heard County Code, Sec. 46-160(3)
Streams and the Chattahoochee
Land within 100 feet of the Chattahoochee River bank is an undisturbed buffer, and construction there is prohibited apart from listed exemptions such as utilities.
Heard County Code, Sec. 46-193Heard County Code, Sec. 46-196
Centralhatchee and Hillabahatchee Creeks have small water supply watersheds. Within seven miles upstream of the intake, a perennial stream keeps a 100-foot buffer, and the 150-foot setback is capped at 25 percent impervious cover with no septic tanks or drain fields.
Heard County Code, Sec. 46-455Heard County Code, Sec. 46-458
The county lists historic areas, including Flat Rock Campground and Old Tennessee Road. A lot developed next to one needs a 50-foot vegetative buffer when both share a zoning district, unless the commissioners waive it.
Heard County Code, Sec. 46-133Heard County Code, Sec. 46-136(a)
West Point Lake shoreline
Georgia's share of West Point Lake lies in Troup and Heard Counties. Of its 525 miles of shoreline, only about 133 (25.3 percent) are allocated Limited Development, the one category where private floating facilities may be authorized, and only with a permit.
The project land includes a 300 to 500 foot buffer around the lake. The Corps cannot guarantee its boundary pins and tells a neighboring owner to hire a licensed surveyor first.
Inside Franklin
Franklin defines a structure as "anything constructed or erected on the ground or attached to something on the ground." A fence or a wall is not a structure. That definition would cover a deck.
A fence or freestanding wall in a required yard stops at eight feet, retaining walls excepted. On a corner lot, nothing over three feet tall may block the view at the intersection.
Franklin Zoning Ordinance, 7.2-5Franklin Zoning Ordinance, 7.3
The Historic Neighborhood Overlay covers new construction, additions that add floor space, relocation and demolition. New construction means "the fabrication or placement of any building or other structure on a lot." The text does not name decks, so ask the city whether yours needs review.
If it applies, the City Council decides. On matters of new construction or building additions, silence from the Historic Preservation Commission for 45 days counts as approval.
What we build
Decks, docks and fences for Heard County lots.
These are the jobs we take on across west Georgia. The photos show our regional work, not Heard County addresses.
Completed
CompletedDecks
New decks and rebuilds in pressure-treated lumber or composite, with rail, stairs and staining.
CompletedFences
Wood privacy and farm fences, built with water gaps where a creek or the flood district calls for them.
Screened porches and remodels
Screened porches, kitchens and bathrooms for homes in Franklin and out in the county.
How it goes
From the first call to the finished job.
Send the address
We check the zoning, the flood district and any stream, river or lake rule that touches the lot.
Plan to the rules
Setbacks, buffers, water gaps and the Corps allocation of your shoreline decide what the plan can show.
Permit
The county or Franklin issues the building permit. A dock adds the Corps permit.
Build and sign-off
Work starts after the permit is in hand, then the inspection the permit calls for.
Questions
Straight answers.
Do I need a permit to build a deck in Heard County?
Almost always. The county bars building or adding to a structure without a building permit, and the permit waits on board of health approval of your water and sewage plans.
Can I build a dock on my West Point Lake lot in Heard County?
Only on shoreline the Corps allocates as Limited Development, about a quarter of the lake, and only with a Corps permit. The size and plan rules are on our West Point Lake dock page.
Can I fence a yard that floods or borders a creek?
In the flood hazard district a fence is allowed if it does not materially block floodwater, and water gaps are allowed. Near the Chattahoochee or the two watershed creeks, buffer rules can also limit what goes near the water.
Does Franklin have different rules from the rest of Heard County?
Yes. Inside city limits the Franklin zoning ordinance governs. Outside the city it is the county code.
Building in Heard County?
Send Ambrose a quote request. Tell us the lot and what you want, and we will tell you which rules apply.
Mon to Fri 8am to 6pm, Sat 8am to 1pm, closed Sunday