Roswell, GA Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Shade tree spacing
- One every 40 feet on center
- Understory substitute
- One every 20 feet under overhead utilities
- Replacement bond
- 100% of landscaping cost, held 2 years
- Dead tree replacement
- Within 90 days (180 in bad weather)
- Topping ban
- No removal of over 1/3 of canopy
- Max penalty
- $2,000 per day per violation
Summary
Roswell's Unified Development Code requires one shade tree every 40 feet on center along all city streets, or one understory tree every 20 feet where overhead utility lines run along the frontage. Developers in this Fulton County, Georgia city must also meet UDC design, installation and maintenance rules for every required street tree, enforced with fines up to $2,000 per day.
11.4.7. - Street Tree Planting A.One shade tree must be planted every 40 feet on center, on average on all streets, as illustrated in this Section. Where overhead utilities exist, one understory tree planted every 20 feet on center, on average, must be substituted for the required shade tree.B.All required street trees must meet the design, installation and maintenance requirements of Sec. 10.2.11 and Sec. 10.2.12.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 17 | Unified Development Code: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
7 sets the base rule: a shade tree every 40 feet on center along all streets, with an understory tree substituted every 20 feet on center wherever overhead utilities run above the planting strip. That section then folds in two more requirements developers cannot skip. 11 (Design and Installation) requires a performance bond or cash escrow, paid before the certificate of occupancy issues, equal to 100% of the estimated replacement cost of all required landscaping, held for two years while the City Arborist inspects and can order corrections.
Plant material must be hardy to USDA zone 7b, able to survive on natural rainfall once established, and artificial plants or trees are barred outright as substitutes. 12 (Maintenance of Landscaping) then puts ongoing responsibility on the property owner: any dead, unhealthy, damaged or missing street tree must be replaced within 90 days, extended to 180 days if weather would jeopardize new plantings. Planting areas must be stabilized against soil erosion immediately and grass areas sodded before occupancy. Pruning must follow ANSI A300 arboriculture standards, and 'topping', defined in the code as removing more than one-third of a tree's leaves and branches measured from its lowest trunk branch to its top, is prohibited except where necessary to maintain overhead public utilities.
4) applies: a written notice of violation, a compliance deadline, and a right to appeal within 30 days (24 hours where the violation is an immediate danger to public health or safety).
Violations & Fines
Failing to plant, maintain or replace required street trees is enforceable under UDC § 13.14. The City issues a written notice of violation describing the defect and a compliance deadline; uncured violations can draw withheld certificates of occupancy, suspended or revoked permits, and monetary penalties up to $2,000 per day, with each day of continued noncompliance a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far apart must street trees be planted in Roswell, Georgia?
Who has to maintain a required street tree after it's planted?
Can a homeowner or contractor top a street tree in Roswell?
What happens if a developer never posts the required landscaping bond?
What is the maximum fine for violating Roswell's street tree rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Roswell
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Parkway Planting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fulton County handle parkway planting.