DeKalb County uses a Tree Density Factor (TDF) system plus replacement ratios to maintain canopy when trees are removed. Fee-in-lieu payments fund the DeKalb Tree Bank.
DeKalb County's Tree Preservation Ordinance applies a Tree Density Factor (TDF) to calculate the required on-site tree inches after construction or removal. When protected trees are lawfully removed, replacement is required at 1:1 for non-specimen and 2:1 or 3:1 for specimen trees, with minimum caliper (typically 2-inch or 3-inch) and species from an approved native/adapted list (white oak, willow oak, southern magnolia, yellow poplar, etc.). If on-site replanting is not feasible, owners pay a fee-in-lieu into the DeKalb Tree Bank, which funds canopy restoration in parks and along corridors. Replacement trees must survive a 2-year establishment period or be re-replaced.
Failure to replace: $500 to $1,000 per tree plus required planting. Fee-in-lieu non-payment: lien on property. Failed establishment: re-planting obligation.
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See how Decatur's tree replacement requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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