Tree Canopy Conservation Ordinance

The Tree Canopy Conservation Ordinance went into effect March 21, 2022, residents may no longer take down three healthy trees every 18 months.

When is a Tree Removal Permit required?

  • A tree removal permit is required for property owners in the city limits of Decatur to remove an untreatably diseased or infested tree/s or to remove a tree/s with moderate or higher risk rating as determined by a certified arborist and that has a target (person or property) present that would be injured or damaged by the tree/s failure.
    • *You will need an assessment report from a certified arborist to file for the tree removal permit (scroll down for arborist resources)
  • Residential or commercial zoned properties that are desiring demolition or building or land development, are subject to the tree removal permit requirements and must comply with the tree conservation ordinance requirements for a tree plan.

Online Permitting System

  • All permits are completed online through Community Core permitting system, www.communitycore.com. To set up an account, email the following information to permits@decaturga.com.
    • Primary contact name
    • Primary contact email
    • Primary contact phone number
    • Mailing address
    • State / Contractor’s license
    • Business license
  • Once submitted, you will receive an email from no-reply@communitycore.com prompting you to sign in for the first time. From there, you’ll be able to apply for permits, upload documents and photos, pay fees, and schedule inspections on www.communitycore.com.

How long does it take to issue a tree permit?

  • City of Decatur Arborists manage all tree removal permits in the order they are received. It can take up 10 business days to process permits and they are usually handled in that time frame unless insufficient information is provided to meet code requirements for removal.
  • Please make sure to upload tree photos, an arborist’s assessment report, new tree maintenance agreements, and tree canopy information on the permits field tab. 

Dead Tree Removal

Pre-Application Meeting

  • A pre-application meeting must be held with the city arborist prior to filing for any site development, building, plumbing, pool, or utility permit that proposes to remove trees or disturb the critical root zones of any protected tree.
  • To request a pre-application meeting, email treepermits@decaturga.com.

Find an Arborist

Fees

Tree Information Session Video (1:00:28)

Watch the video to learn more about the process and requirements.