Development and land-clearing in unincorporated Clayton County require permits under the Tree Protection Ordinance, with a 20-unit-per-acre tree density and replacement. Georgia's Erosion Act adds a 25-foot buffer along state waters that must stay undisturbed.
Under Tree Protection Ordinance section 86-61, land-disturbing activity cannot begin until authorized by the county, requiring a survey of six-inch-and-larger trees and a land-disturbance permit. Sites must maintain at least 20 tree density units per acre (section 86-73), preserving or replacing trees or paying into the county tree bank fund. Single-family removal of three or fewer trees under 30 inches per year is exempt (section 86-60). Statewide, Georgia's Erosion and Sedimentation Act (O.C.G.A. 12-7) establishes a mandatory 25-foot undisturbed buffer along the banks of state waters.
Violating the tree ordinance is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $1,000 per day (section 86-67), plus required replacement. Erosion Act buffer violations draw Georgia EPD enforcement and penalties.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Backyard composting is allowed in Clayton County; no ordinance bans home compost piles. A pile must be maintained so it does not become rubbish or a nuisance...
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Clayton County has no ordinance specifically permitting or banning artificial turf on residential lots. Its use is governed by general zoning, impervious-sur...
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Clayton County has no ordinance banning native or drought-tolerant landscaping. Its Tree Protection Ordinance actively recommends native species, though plan...
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Rainwater harvesting is allowed in Clayton County. No county ordinance bans rain barrels or cisterns, and Georgia's watering rules exempt captured stormwater...
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Under Georgia's Water Stewardship Act, landscape watering across Clayton County is allowed daily but only between 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. The Clayton County Water...
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Clayton County's Quality of Life Code requires unincorporated properties to be kept free of rubbish and uncut vegetation. Grass and weeds over ten inches are...
See how Clayton County's tree removal permits rules stack up against other locations.
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