Johns Creek, GA Tree Protection: Tree Removal Permits (2026)

Johns Creek's tree permitting is governed by the Tree Preservation Ordinance and Administrative Guidelines (Chapter 109, Article VII). The guidelines state that "it shall be unlawful to remove a specimen tree without the express written permission of the City Arborist or authorized agent(s)." Permission is required when a tree is a specimen tree or is located within a protected area such as a zoning buffer, state water/stream buffer, the Chattahoochee River corridor, wetlands, or a tree save area. For a developed, residentially zoned single-family detached lot, removal is allowed without a tree removal permit when the tree is not in a protected zone and is not a specimen tree; a specimen tree posing an immediate threat of falling on the primary dwelling may also be removed if it is outside a protected zone. A specimen tree is any tree in fair or better condition that is at least 32 inches d.b.h. (large hardwoods/softwoods) or at least 12 inches d.b.h. (small native flowering trees); pines of any size do not qualify. When a healthy specimen tree is removed, recompense is required — one 15-gallon or 1"-1.5" caliper replacement tree per specimen removed — and development sites must also meet the Density Factor for the Site replanting requirement. Residents request removals through the city's Customer Self-Service (CSS) portal and can use the city's self-evaluation flow chart to determine whether approval is required. Land disturbance permits trigger separate, broader tree-protection and revegetation requirements.