Tree Protection in Gwinnett County, GA (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated Gwinnett County, Georgia.
Verified from official government sources
Heritage & Protected Trees
Gwinnett County protects large or historically significant trees as 'specimen trees' -- 28-inch hardwoods, 30-inch softwoods, or trees of historical significance -- requiring preservation and permitted removal only.
Gwinnett County Specimen Tree Protection Criteria
Significant RestrictionsGwinnett County UDO § 630-70.3.A.1
Identification Criteria.1.Tree Size: Tree must meet size criteria in number 1. and in number 2. below tree must meet conditions a. through e. Conditions f. and g. are optional.a.Large Hardwood: 28-inch diameter or largerb.Large Softwood: 30-inch diameter or largerc.Small Native Flowering: 12-inch diameter or largeri.The list below indicates small native flowering specimen tree types:•Cercis can...
Protected Tree Species
Gwinnett County's specimen-tree rules single out four native flowering species -- redbud, dogwood, serviceberry, and sourwood -- for protection once they reach just 12 inches in diameter.
Gwinnett County Protected Native Flowering Trees
Significant RestrictionsGwinnett County UDO § 630-70.3.A.1.c
Small Native Flowering: 12-inch diameter or largeri.The list below indicates small native flowering specimen tree types:•Cercis canadensis, Eastern Redbud•Cornus florida, Flowering Dogwood•Amelanchier arborea, Serviceberry•Oxydendrum arboretum, Sourwood2.Condition.a.A life expectancy of greater than 10 years.b.A sound and solid trunk with no extensive decay or hollow, and less than 20 percent r...
Parkway Planting
Non-residential development in unincorporated Gwinnett County must plant one street tree per 50 linear feet of frontage, spaced outside the roadway clear zone, under UDO § 620-40.
Gwinnett County Street Tree Planting Standard
Some RestrictionsGwinnett County UDO § 620-40.B.1-2
Street trees shall be located along the property frontage, either inside or outside of the right-of-way, in no case closer than 11 feet to the edge of pavement or back of curb. When the street trees are proposed inside the right-of-way, they shall be located outside of the clear zone per the current edition of the AASHTO Roadside Design Guide subject to Department of Transportation approval.2.O...
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