Glynn County, GA Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- § 624.4(a)(1); § 624.12 "Clearing"
- Effect
- Invasive/non-native trees earn no canopy credit
- List keeper
- Glynn County Arborist
- Clearing threshold
- 6-inch DBH triggers regulated "Clearing"
- Exempt from clearing definition
- Invasive species, non-native trees
Summary
Glynn County's tree ordinance doesn't ban invasive plants outright, but it strips them of legal value: invasive species and certain non-native trees can't count toward the required tree canopy on St. Simons Island, and removing them isn't even regulated "clearing" that would trigger a Tree Plan.
624.4Measurement of Tree Canopy. ... (a)The open soil area that is credited to a preserved individual tree or a group of preserved individual trees shall be the actual square footage of the open soil area dedicated to the growth and maintenance of the tree(s). The minimum amount of open soil area for any individual tree or group of trees is 400 square feet. ... 1)Any existing Large Canopy Tree of six inches DBH or greater retained in good growing condition on the property is eligible for use in meeting the tree canopy requirements. Provided, however, that invasive species and certain non-native trees shall not be eligible for use in meeting the tree canopy requirements. A list of these invasive species and non-native trees shall be kept and maintained by the County Arborist. ... Clearing means the removal of trees of six inches DBH or greater. Clearing shall not mean the removal of underbrush, trees less than six inches DBH, invasive species, or non-native trees.
Full Breakdown
Under the Tree Canopy Preservation Ordinance's canopy-measurement rules, an existing Large Canopy Tree of six inches DBH or greater can normally be counted toward a site's required tree density, but Section 624.4(a)(1) carves out invasive species and certain non-native trees from that credit entirely. The County Arborist keeps and maintains the actual list of which species are disqualified. The exclusion runs the other direction too: Section 624.12 defines "Clearing" as removal of trees six inches DBH or greater, but specifically says clearing does not include removing underbrush, small trees, invasive species, or non-native trees, so taking out an invasive tree doesn't trip the Section 624.2 permit triggers that apply to clearing commercial or large residential lots.
Violations & Fines
This is a disqualification, not a standalone offense: a Tree Plan that counts invasive or listed non-native trees toward its canopy requirement is deficient, and the Planning and Zoning Director or Islands Planning Commission will withhold site plan, plat, or demolition permit approval until the plan is corrected with eligible native or Preferred Species List trees meeting the density and open-soil-area standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove an invasive tree from my St. Simons Island lot without a permit?
Can I plant an invasive species to meet my tree canopy requirement?
Who decides which species count as invasive under the tree ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Glynn County
Compare Glynn County to another location·View the Georgia invasive plant rules overview
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