Aiken County, SC Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)

Sec. 13(1) splits protected trees on nonresidential and multifamily sites in the Highway Corridor Overlay District into two tiers by trunk diameter (DBH). A 'significant' tree is a large-growing species such as oak, pine or magnolia measuring 8 to 24 inches DBH, or a smaller species such as dogwood or redbud at 4 to 6 inches DBH. A 'Grand Tree' is the same large species once it passes 24 inches DBH, or the smaller species once it passes 8 inches DBH. The two tiers carry different removal standards inside a site's protected setback, bufferyard and open-space areas.

Under Sec. 2, up to 80 percent of the combined trunk-diameter inches of significant trees in those areas may be removed if the planning and development director finds unavoidable grading or the required layout of paving, utilities or buildings leaves no alternative. A Grand Tree gets no such percentage allowance: none may be removed from the protected areas unless the director determines there is absolutely no alternative for the same reasons. Every grand or significant inch removed under either standard must be replaced elsewhere in the protection areas or on the site, with a grand or significant tree on the county's approved list counting double toward that replacement obligation, and a physical protective barrier equal to one foot of radius per inch of trunk diameter must ring each retained tree throughout grading and construction.