Landscaping Rules in Cobb County, GA (2026)
3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Cobb County, Georgia.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
In unincorporated Cobb County, trees inside a lot's protected zone (the land outside the buildable area, required open space, and any designated buffer or tree-save area) cannot be cut down unless the owner documents economic hardship to the community development agency in a land disturbance permit application. After a development's tree maintenance period ends, removing any protected-zone tree still requires a separate permit.
Cobb County Tree Removal Permit Requirement
Significant RestrictionsCobb County Code §§ 50-216, 50-222, 50-224, 50-231 (Ch. 50, Art. VI - Tree Preservation and Replacement)
Trees shall not be removed in any protected zone unless the owner/developer documents an economic hardship if the trees in the protected zone were to be preserved. Such documentation shall be submitted as part of the application for a land disturbance permit. Nothing in this article shall be construed to allow the removal of vegetation in a designated, undisturbed buffer required by a condition...
Weed Ordinances
Unincorporated Cobb County bans weeds and grass over 12 inches tall on any property, with code enforcement issuing notice, then a Magistrate Court citation for continued violations.
Cobb County 12-Inch Weed Height Limit
Some RestrictionsCobb County, GA Code of Ordinances § 83-12
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any property to permit weeds to obtain a height exceeding 12 inches unless exempted as described in this section. It shall be unlawful for the owner of any property, that contains an easement for utility right-of-way, lake, pond or other water impoundment, to permit weeds to obtain a height exceeding 12 inches on any portion of the property, unless exempted...
Water Restrictions
Cobb County limits outdoor irrigation of lawns, gardens, and landscaping to the hours of 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. year-round in unincorporated Cobb County, under Code Section 122-262. The rule tightens automatically once the state EPD declares a drought response level, cutting irrigation to two days a week at level 2 and banning general outdoor irrigation outright at level 3. The Cobb County Water System enforces it through a warning-then-penalty system tied directly to the customer's water bill.
Cobb County Outdoor Watering Hours: 4 PM to 10 AM
Some RestrictionsCobb County Code § 122-262
Outdoor watering for purposes of planting, growing, managing, or maintaining ground cover, trees, shrubs, or other plants may occur only between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m.; provided, however, that this limitation shall not create any limitation upon the following outdoor water uses during non-drought periods: ... (e)Watering personal food gardens;(f)Watering new and replanted plant, ...
Landscaping Rules by City in Cobb County
1 cities in Cobb County have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Cobb County ordinances
See every category we cover for Cobb County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Cobb County Ordinance Hub →