CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman City Council gave a first reading Monday, Nov. 9, to a revised drinking water ordinance that drops the proposed 25-foot shoreline buffer at Lake George. The council took no vote on Ordinance No. 2026-56.
(See previous story: www.cullmantribune.com/2026/11/08/cullman-proposes-2-5k-minimum-fine-for-lake-violations-but-many-catoma-rules-date-to-2007)
The first draft named three lakes. The revision names the two that supply Cullman’s drinking water today, Lake Catoma and Duck River Reservoir.
It specifies a 35-foot buffer at Catoma and a 100-foot buffer at Duck River, each measured inland from the shoreline when the reservoir is full.
Cullman began using Lake George as a water source in 1958. The city later disconnected it from the water system after Lake Catoma and its treatment plant came into service in 1967, according to Tribune archives.
The revised ordinance still says the Utilities Board owns property at “all current and former water supply lakes.”
If Cullman draws drinking water from Lake George again, the proposed rules for land adjoining the public water supply could apply there.
The revised text sets no buffer width for Lake George.
Council President Kim Hall said city and utility officials had encountered three different ordinances over the past year and wanted residents and officials to have one set of rules to consult.
“We have first readings of ordinances for a reason, so that they can be edited if needed before it makes it to the second reading and the vote,” she said.
For Lake Catoma property owners, the mowing schedule dates to 2007. The proposal keeps the same three windows.
Adjoining owners could mow the buffer once May 1-14, once July 1-14 and once Sept. 1-14.
The draft also calls for leaving grass at least 4 inches high and removing clippings from the buffer.
The first draft included a $2,500 minimum fine per violation. The revised draft proposes a $500 minimum upon conviction and would allow each day a violation continues to count separately.
Hall invited the Utilities Board to suggest further edits. The council’s next meeting is Monday, Nov. 23.
