DeKalb County designates specimen trees including oaks, hickories, and native hardwoods above specified DBH thresholds. Removal requires arborist review and significant mitigation.
DeKalb County's Tree Preservation Ordinance protects specimen trees: hardwoods (oaks, hickories, maples, sweetgums, yellow poplars, beeches) at 27-inch DBH or greater, pines at 27-inch DBH, and certain landmark species (dogwood, Georgia native magnolia) at smaller thresholds. A specimen tree can only be removed under narrow exceptions (dead, diseased, hazardous, or where no reasonable development alternative exists) and only with the county arborist's approval. Removal triggers replacement in accordance with the DeKalb Tree Density Factor. Heritage-quality trees along Ponce de Leon Avenue in Druid Hills, along LaVista Road, and throughout older neighborhoods like Kirkwood and Oak Grove are a local priority. Atlanta Tree Conservation Commission parallels apply where the City of Atlanta overlaps southwest DeKalb.
Unauthorized specimen removal: $500 to $1,000 per DBH inch plus 3:1 replacement or fee-in-lieu to the DeKalb Tree Bank. Construction damage: restoration and mitigation costs.
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