South Fulton requires tree protection during land disturbance, not a standalone homeowner 'tree permit.' On sites undergoing development, a Tree Protection Plan must accompany the Land Disturbance Permit, prepared by a GA Registered Landscape Architect using an ISA-certified arborist's survey, and reviewed by the City Arborist.
The City of South Fulton ties tree removal to its land-disturbance permitting process under the Tree Preservation Ordinance and Administrative Guidelines. Per the zoning code (Article 34.4.1.d) and the Landscape and Tree Protection Review Checklist, an applicant for a Land Disturbance Permit must hire a private ISA-certified arborist to conduct a site visit and tree survey identifying the size, species, health, and location of all specimen trees, plus a narrative on other trees; this is submitted with the initial permit application. A Tree Protection/Landscape Plan - prepared by a Georgia Registered Landscape Architect - must then be submitted on a dedicated sheet and approved by the City Arborist before the Land Disturbance Permit issues. Sites must meet a minimum tree-density factor (20 units per acre in single-family residential districts; 15 units per acre in commercial and other non-single-family districts), and protective tree fencing with 'Tree Save' signage must be installed before a required pre-construction meeting and any grading. Healthy specimen trees the City Arborist allows to be removed require recompense with 2- or 4-inch-caliper trees, and unauthorized specimen removal doubles the replacement value (see tree-removal entry). The City Arborist conducts follow-up inspections and can issue stop-work orders or violation notices. Routine removal of a non-specimen tree on an existing single-family lot not involving a land-disturbance permit is not separately permitted by the code; confirm specifics with the City Arborist at 470-809-7202.
Disturbing land or removing protected trees without an approved Tree Protection Plan, failing to install required tree fencing before grading, or removing a specimen tree without permission triggers stop-work orders, notices of violation, and doubled recompense under the Tree Preservation Ordinance.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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South Fulton's code defines composting as treating vegetative matter (leaves, trees, plant material) into a soil amendment and excludes animal waste, food, s...
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South Fulton has no ordinance specifically permitting or banning residential artificial (synthetic) turf. Installations are subject to the City's general zon...
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South Fulton does not require or prohibit native-plant landscaping for homeowners. The City's tree and development rules encourage ecologically compatible, n...
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Rainwater harvesting is legal in South Fulton; the City has no ordinance restricting it. Georgia state plumbing code governs collection systems, allows non-p...
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South Fulton does not publish its own outdoor watering schedule; landscape irrigation follows Georgia's statewide rule. Under the Georgia Water Stewardship A...
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South Fulton's Minimum Property Standards (Sec. 3-3001) require weeds to be cut and contained. Vegetation over six inches on developed property is prohibited...
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