ATLANTA — The Atlanta City Council approved a new ordinance that makes new rules for removing and replanting trees.
In a unanimous vote Monday night, the Atlanta City Council approved the Tree Protection Ordinance, the first update to the city’s ordinance on removing trees since 2001.
The new ordinances will increase tree removal fees to $140 per diameter-inch of tree trunk. That will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
It will increase funding for low-income senior assistance program to $400,000 a year.
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The new ordinance also adds more funding for city arborists.
And it also increases fines for illegal tree removal.
“As a multi-generational Atlanta native, I am proud of our beautiful city in the forest. Atlanta has always been a national leader in tree canopy and we have taken measures to protect it for future generations,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “Thank you to our Planning team, City Council and everyone who worked together for a greener, more sustainable Atlanta. I look forward to the next steps of the tree preservation work that will align with our land use goals.”
A study performed by the Center for Spatial Planning Analytics and Visualization at the Georgia Institute of Technology detailed the city’s tree canopy size.
As of 2020, the Center said Atlanta’s canopy loss had been the result of a combination of single-family redevelopment, new construction for single and multi-family housing, industrial construction, mixed-use, and institutional and commercial properties.
However, while all of the areas and developments have replanted the trees, as required by the city, the Center said the trees planted were not of the same type or quality.
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