South Fulton, GA Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)

Appendix E to the City of South Fulton Code of Ordinances, the Administrative Guidelines for Tree Preservation adopted by Ordinance No. 2018-051 under Sec. 14-6002(a), sets the diameter-at-breast-height thresholds that make a tree a protected specimen or heritage tree across every zoning classification: Sections I, II and III repeat the same table for the Agriculture (AG-1), single-family residential, and commercial districts. A large hardwood such as oak, hickory, yellow poplar or sweetgum crosses the line at 27 inches DBH; beech and softwoods such as pine and Deodar cedar at 24 inches; and small native flowering trees such as dogwood, redbud and sourwood at only 10 inches.

To count, the tree must also be in fair or better condition: a life expectancy over ten years, a sound trunk with less than 20 percent radial dieback, no more than one major dead limb, and no major insect or disease problem. A smaller tree can still qualify if it is a rare or unusual species, of exceptional quality, or of historical significance, or if a builder or designer has used it as a landscape focal point. Once a tree meets these standards, the City Arborist requires a fenced root protection zone around it (one foot of radius per inch of trunk diameter, extended if the crown reaches farther) before any land disturbance permit is issued. Removing or damaging a qualifying specimen tree without the City Arborist's written permission is unlawful under Sec. 14-6005(c), regardless of the applicant's zoning district.