Do you need a tree removal permit in Marietta, GA?

For some trees. Marietta requires a permit for certain trees or certain sites, not every tree. Marietta's tree protection ordinance does not apply to a single residential lot with one dwelling and no more than two units, unless the lot is in the Residential Infill Development Overlay or has a council-approved tree plan. On other non-exempt property, trees may not be removed without prior authorization from the Department of Development Services. Dead or hazardous trees on those properties also need a Notification of Tree Removal form and a city check before removal. Our confidence: high. Short explanation, not legal advice.

The ordinance applies to all property in the city except listed exemptions (single residential lots with up to two units, nurseries and tree farms, Central Business District property, recreation fields, parks and lakes, and tree loss from government or utility projects). A tree is any woody plant with a potential trunk diameter (DBH) of at least 2 inches. Specimen trees get extra consideration and must meet size and condition criteria: large hardwoods 18 inches in diameter or larger, large softwoods 24 inches or larger, understory trees 9 inches or larger. Land outside the buildable area, required buffers and landscape strips are "protected zones" under the ordinance.

The ordinance requires street trees in residential subdivisions; small-lot and townhouse subdivisions need one street tree per road frontage. Requests to replace street trees in an established PRD-SF, PRD-MF or MXD subdivision must come from the homeowners association to the Director of Development Services as a revised tree plan.

On non-exempt property, trees lost to sudden weather that creates an imminent hazard do not need prior authorization. Dead, dying, diseased, infested or hazardous trees may be removed only after a Notification of Tree Removal form is submitted and city staff verify the tree's condition. The city must decide within 10 business days of receiving all required documents.

Submit a Notification of Tree Removal to the City of Marietta Department of Development Services. For development, a tree protection and landscaping plan is submitted with the building permit drawings.

Development Services enforces the ordinance. If a site does not match its approved plan, the owner is notified in writing and given 10 days to fix the violations; failing to fix them is a violation of the ordinance. Removed trees may have to be replaced or paid for through the city's Tree Replacement Fund.

HOA rules can be stricter; check yours. Read your HOA covenants or ask the board before work starts.

Your address, the tree species if you know it, the trunk width measured about 4.5 feet above the ground, photos of the whole tree, and whether it is near the street, a sidewalk or a power line. Ask if a permit is needed and how long it takes.

Some do and some do not. Ask before you sign, and get it in writing who applies and who pays the fee. In many places the property owner is the one responsible for following the rules.

No. It is a short, plain summary of public rules with links to the official sources. For a firm answer on your property, ask the city or a local attorney.