Decatur, GA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

Sec. 2 of the City of Decatur's Unified Development Ordinance applies its Tree Canopy Conservation article to any and all real property within the City limits, including all public and private property and all zoning districts, and Sec. C makes the core rule plain: no protected tree can be removed, destroyed or disturbed without the City Arborist's written consent in the form of an approved Tree Conservation Plan or Tree Removal Permit. Where a project needs a Building Permit or Land Disturbance Permit, the Tree Conservation Plan travels with that application; where no other permit is required, Sec.

a requires a standalone Tree Removal Permit, and that permit is available only for a tree that is untreatably diseased or dead, at moderate or higher risk of failure with a target present that cannot otherwise be mitigated, or at high to extreme risk of failure. The permit application, prepared by a Certified Arborist under Sec. e, must document the tree's size and canopy coverage, include a replanting plan achieving no net loss of canopy, and explain the need for removal; the City Arborist weighs factors from the reason for removal to the tree's impact on property value before deciding.

A limited exception lets the City Arborist give expedited written authorization for a hazardous tree under Sec. 4, but even then a Tree Removal Permit must still be filed within 72 hours of the removal. Trees grown for sale, such as Christmas trees and nursery stock, are exempt under Sec. 5. Removing a protected tree without a valid permit is a violation under Sec. C, and Sec. 20 lists the consequences: withholding a certificate of occupancy, revoking or revising a permit, a stop work order, or a citation to municipal court, plus mitigation that can require replacement of up to twice the removed tree's canopy cover.