On a single-family lot in Columbia County you may trim your own yard trees freely; the county's tree rules govern development, not homeowner yards. Under Georgia common law you can cut a neighbor's overhanging branches to the property line, but not enter their land or harm the tree.
Columbia County does not require a permit for a homeowner to prune or trim trees on a single-family or two-family lot. The county's landscaping and street-tree standards in Code Sec. 90-140 apply to new non-residential and multi-family development, and its Chapter 34 tree-management provisions protect trees during land disturbance, not routine yard maintenance. Where a neighbor's tree branches or roots cross the boundary, Georgia follows the self-help rule: you may trim the intruding growth back to the property line at your own expense, but you cannot trespass onto the neighbor's property or cut so far that you kill the tree, which exposes you to liability. Trees in the public right-of-way are handled by the county.
No county penalty for pruning your own yard trees. Cutting a neighbor's tree beyond the property line, or killing it, can bring civil liability for the tree's value.
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See how Columbia County's tree trimming rules stack up against other locations.
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