Buffer, Landscape & Tree Ordinance (Ch. 22)

• This ordinance requires all property owners to attain or exceed a tree density standard. Removal of trees or underbrush in a buffer zone is prohibited in some buffers and very restricted in others. To determine if there is a designated buffer zone on your property, please refer to your deed. If in doubt, the Ordinance Enforcement Officer is available to help identify the existence of buffer zones.

• Do not remove any trees from any property or do any land clearing before contacting City Hall, the Ordinance Enforcement Officer (OEO) or Assistant OEO. (Unauthorized removal of trees can result in a fine of $500 per tree.) Trees which are dead, diseased or dangerous may be removed only after obtaining a permit from the Ordinance Enforcement Officer.

• Residents are encouraged to plant trees, especially canopy and understory trees from the Gwinnett County Preferred Species List. The Preferred Species Tree List includes most of the trees that are either native to the metro Atlanta area or that are particularly hardy in this region. Copies of the full list are available from City Hall or on the city’s website.