Article 5 — Tree Preservation and Tree Replacement Regulations
APPLICABILITY AND EXEMPTIONS
activity on real property which requires the issuance of a Land Disturbance Permit within the City of Sugar Hill.
Table A: Summary of Applicability and Exemptions, at the end of this Section, summarizes those activities which are exempt from the provisions of this Ordinance and those for which a Tree Preservation/Replacement Plan must be approved prior to issuance of a Land Disturbance Permit.
City of Sugar Hill 5.1 Tree Preservation and Tree Replacement Regulations
shall be exempt from the terms and provisions of this
Ordinance for bona fide agricultural purposes only.
5.1.4 Removal of Disease or InfestationUpon the advice of the County Extension Service or the Georgia Forestry Commission in accordance with commonly accepted forestry practices and a finding of tree disease or infestation, the Director may authorize the removal of trees to prevent the transmission of disease or infestation, to prevent the danger of these trees falling, or to prevent potential injury to life and property. The owner/developer, prior to the removal of the diseased trees, shall notify the Director, identifying the location of the infested property, and shall submit to the Director the written finding of the County Extension Service or Georgia Forestry Commission.
Upon the written advice and findings of the County Extension Service or Georgia Forestry Commission, the thinning of trees (selective cutting only) solely for the purpose of good forestry management, may be permitted upon authorization by the Director and shall require the submittal and approval of a Tree Preservation/Replacement Plan. Permits authorizing tree thinning shall be limited to the following:
shall be provided and maintained along the entire perimeter of the property, including road frontages, during the land disturbing activity, except for
authorized access crossings.
City of Sugar Hill 5.2 Tree Preservation and Tree Replacement Regulations
Existing trees proposed to be retained and new trees
proposed to be planted in order to meet the buffer requirements of the Zoning Ordinance or conditions of zoning, special use or variance approval shall not be
considered in fulfilling the requirements of this
Ordinance. Trees or other vegetation shall not be removed from a zoning buffer area except under the provisions as established herein or by the Zoning Ordinance.
Family Residential Districts Included Trees saved in a Construction Buffer identified on a Tree Preservation/Replacement Plan shall count toward Tree Density Standard.
a) Properties possessing natural gas, petroleum or
electric power transmission easements, or major
sanitary sewer main (greater than 8 inches in
diameter) or water main (greater than 16 inches in
diameter) distribution easements, may exclude the
land area contained in said easement from the total
acreage of the property in fulfilling the Tree
Density Standard of this Ordinance provided that no
improvements (e.g. parking lots, tennis courts,
driveways, stormwater detention facilities, etc.) are
proposed within the easement. If any improvements
are proposed within the easement, then the land area
so utilized within the easement for the improvements,
plus an additional 10-feet of land area surrounding
the improvements, shall be used to fulfill the Tree
Density Standard of this Ordinance.City of Sugar Hill 5.3 Tree Preservation and Tree Replacement Regulations TABLE A SUMMARY OF APPLICABILITY AND EXEMPTIONS PROJECT TYPE TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION APPLICABILITY 1 and 2 Family Building Permit Compliance Dwellings Inspection may be required (5.3.3)
Grandfathered Any property included within the Exempt Projects limits of a LDP approved prior to (5.1.2) the effective date of this Ordinance.
Horticultural Land clearing for clearly Exempt or agricultural purposes, including (5.1.3) Agricultural timber harvesting, in RA-200 Operations zoning district; Plant or Tree
Nurseries; Orchards
Diseased or Removal upon advice and written Exempt
Infested Trees finding of County Extension (5.1.4)
Service or Georgia ForestryCommission Tree Thinning Thinning of trees (selective TP/RP Required
cutting) in zoning districts (5.1.5) other than RA-200 solely for the purpose of good forestry management, utilizing recommended BMP's of the Georgia Forestry Commission, upon the advice and written findings of the County Extension Service or Georgia
Forestry Commission City of Sugar Hill 5.4 Tree Preservation and Tree Replacement Regulations TABLE A (CONTINUED)
PROJECT TYPE TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION APPLICABILITY
Residential and Land disturbance limited to TP/RP not Non-Residential areas needed for streets, required Subdivisions drainage and utilities *
(5.2.3,a)
Land disturbance beyond areas TP/RP required needed for streets, drainage, (5.2.2) and utilities
Building Permit for the Compliance construction of 1 and 2 Family Inspection may Dwellings be required
(5.3.3)
Recreation Area TP/RP required (5.2.3,a)
Multi-family and Clearing or clearing and TP/RP not Non-Residential grubbing only, limited to required * Sites areas outside of all minimum ** yards, buffers, and 100 year (5.2.3,b) flood plain Clearing or clearing and TP/RP required grubbing only, proposing (5.2.2)
disturbance within a minimum yard or 100 year flood plain Grading or Development Permit TP/RP required
(5.2.2)
Building Permit Covered by TP/RP as approved by LDP (5.2.2)
** ADDITIONAL AREAS MAY BE DESIGNATED BY DOP&D TO REMAIN UNDISTURBED BASED ON LAND USE PLAN.
City of Sugar Hill 5.5 Tree Preservation and Tree Replacement Regulations
PERMITS
activities have been authorized by issuance of an appropriate Land Disturbance Permit under the provisions of the Development Regulations.
Ordinance, and not included under Subsection 5.2.3 below, a Tree Preservation/Replacement Plan shall be submitted along with the other documents required by the Development Regulations for the issuance of a Clearing, Clearing and Grubbing, Grading, or Development Permit.
documentation shall be reviewed by the Department for conformance to the provisions of this Ordinance along with and at the same time as all other plans required for a requested Land Disturbance Permit under the provisions of the Development Regulations.
the development of the residential subdivision.
d. Subsection 5.3.3 shall apply to residential
subdivision development of individual lots and theTP\TR Plan.
City of Sugar Hill 5.6 Tree Preservation and Tree Replacement Regulations
may be issued a Land Disturbance Permit without a Tree Preservation/Replacement Plan under the following circumstances:
submit a Tree Preservation /Replacement Plan if the proposed land disturbance and construction activities are strictly limited to those directly related to the provision of the streets and storm water drainage and detention facilities, placement of required soil erosion and sedimentation controls, the installation of public or private utilities, and other required improvements, excluding recreation areas, expressly required by the City or by a condition of zoning, special use or variance approval.
submit a Tree Preservation /Replacement Plan if the proposed land disturbance and construction activities are strictly limited to those directly related to the provision of the streets and storm water drainage and detention facilities, placement of required soil erosion and sedimentation controls, the installation of public or private utilities, and other required improvements, expressly required by the City or by a condition of zoning, special use or variance
approval.
nonresidential projects (not involving the subdivision of the property) may be allowed to undertake activities limited to clearing or clearing and grubbing only, without approval of a Tree Preservation/Replacement Plan if the proposed land disturbance activities are limited to those portions of the property outside of all minimum yard areas required by the zoning district, all buffer areas required by the Zoning Ordinance or conditions of zoning, variance or special use approval, and any area within the 100-year flood plain, except for curb cut access into the property and for the placement of required soil erosion and sedimentation controls. Additional areas may be designated by the Department to remain undisturbed as may be reasonably required with consideration given to the proposed use of the property, as well as adjacent properties, in accordance with the City 's Land Use Plan. The limits of clearing or clearing and grubbing shall be established no closer to the boundaries of all said undisturbed areas than the driplines of the trees which are located within said areas.
City of Sugar Hill 5.7 Tree Preservation and Tree Replacement Regulations
TREE DENSITY REQUIREMENTS
On each property for which a Tree Preservation/Replacement Plan is required by this Ordinance, existing trees may be retained and new trees shall be planted such that the property shall attain or exceed a Tree Density Standard of 16 Tree Density Units per acre, exclusive of any acreage within a zoning buffer and any trees required to be preserved or planted within a zoning buffer. The trees, both existing and new, where feasible shall be reasonably distributed throughout the site, with emphasis on tree groupings to achieve aesthetic results following professional landscaping standards.
Trees may be retained or planted for credit within a public street right-of-way if granted authorization by the Department of Transportation.
The Tree Density Standard shall be calculated by summing the following credits and dividing by the total acreage of the project included within the limits of the permit application (but excluding any acreage included within a zoning buffer).
number of trees (by diameter) times the units assigned in TABLE B, CREDIT FOR EXISTING TREES. Credit shall be given all trees preserved on a property having a diameter of 3" or more, except trees located in a zoning buffer.
City of Sugar Hill 5.8 Tree Preservation and Tree Replacement Regulations
site shall be calculated by multiplying the number of trees (by diameter) times the units assigned in TABLE C, CREDIT FOR REPLACEMENT TREES. Credit shall be given all new trees replaced on a property except for new trees of less than 1 inch in diameter and new trees planted in a required zoning buffer. Multi- trunked ornamental trees shall only be given credit by measuring the single largest trunk and not the cumulative total of the various trunks. Tree-form shrubs shall not be given credit for satisfying the required Tree Density Standard.
(1) A total tree density credit not to exceed three
(3) times the units shown on Table B, may be
granted by the Department for existing trees to
be retained which have greater value as
outstanding specimen trees or having historic
value or being a rare or unique species.
(2) Existing trees to be retained within a minimum
yard area (as required by the applicable zoning
district) or within a 100-year flood plain shall
be granted a bonus credit of 50 percent of the
units assigned in Table B unless the tree is
located within a required zoning buffer.City of Sugar Hill 5.9 Tree Preservation and Tree Replacement Regulations
TABLE B - CREDIT FOR EXISTING TREES
CONVERSION FROM TREE DIAMETER IN INCHES
TO TREE DENSITY UNITS FOR TREES REMAINING ON SITEDIA. UNITS DIA. UNITS DIA. UNITS DIA. UNITS
3 .05 15 1.2 27 4.0 39 8.3
4 .1 16 1.4 28 4.3 40 8.7
5 .15 17 1.6 29 4.6 41 9.2
6 .2 18 1.8 30 4.9 42 9.6
7 .3 19 2.0 31 5.2 43 10.1
8 .4 20 2.2 32 5.6 44 10.6
9 .5 21 2.4 33 5.9 45 11.0
10 .6 22 2.6 34 6.3 46 11.5
11 .7 23 2.9 35 6.7 47 12.0
12 .8 24 3.1 36 7.1 48 12.6
13 .9 25 3.4 37 7.5 49 13.1
14 1.1 26 3.7 38 7.9 50 13.6NOTE: FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS ORDINANCE, TREE DIAMETERS ARE MEASURED
AT DIAMETER BREAST HEIGHT (DBH) OR AT ANY POINT BELOW DBH FOR NEW TREES OR MULTI-TRUNKED SPECIES, BUT IN NO CASE LESS THAN 6 INCHES FROM THE GROUND.
NOTE: FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS ORDINANCE, TREE DIAMETER FRACTIONS MAY BE "ROUNDED-UP" IF 0.5 INCHES OR GREATER OR "ROUNDED-DOWN"
IF LESS THAN 0.5 INCHES.
City of Sugar Hill 5.10
Tree Preservation and Tree Replacement Regulations
TABLE C - CREDIT FOR REPLACEMENT TREES
CONVERSION FROM TREE DIAMETER IN INCHES
TO TREE DENSITY UNITS FOR PROPOSED REPLACEMENT TREES
Diameter Units Diameter Units
1 .4 8 1.3
2 .5 9 1.5
3 .6 10 1.7
4 .7 11 1.9
5 .9 12 2.1
6 1.0 13 2.3
7 1.2 14 2.5NOTE: FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS ORDINANCE, TREE DIAMETERS ARE MEASURED
AT DIAMETER BREAST HEIGHT (DBH) OR AT ANY POINT BELOW DBH FOR NEW TREES OR MULTI-TRUNKED SPECIES, BUT IN NO CASE LESS THAN 6 INCHES FROM THE GROUND.
NOTE: FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS ORDINANCE, TREE DIAMETER FRACTIONS MAY BE "ROUNDED-UP" IF 0.5 INCHES OR GREATER OR "ROUNDED-DOWN"
IF LESS THAN 0.5 INCHES.
NOTE: MULTI-TRUNKED ORNAMENTAL TREES SHALL BE GIVEN CREDIT BY MEASURING THE SINGLE LARGEST TRUNK ONLY. TREE-FORM SHRUBS SHALL NOT BE GIVEN CREDIT.
City of Sugar Hill 5.11 Tree Preservation and Tree Replacement Regulations
If the subdivision is exempt under Subsection 5.2.3a this Subsection (5.3.3) does not apply. However, if the subdivision was not exempt under Subsection 5.2.3a and was required to submit a TP\TR under Subsection 5.2.2 this Subsection (5.3.3) shall apply.
Each residential lot shall have at a minimum two (2) Tree Density Units. The front yard shall contain at least one
To meet this requirement, all other replacement tree species to be planted in a residential front yard that are not listed above shall be approved by the department prior to planting. Existing trees shall be allowed to meet this requirement based on Table B - Credit For Existing Trees.
The requirements of Subsection 5.2.2 may indicate the requirements of this section have been addressed in the TP\TR Plan. If this is the case, a compliance inspection is all that is needed to comply with this section.
Prior to an issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, a compliance inspection will be made to ensure that all applicable requirements for this section have been satisfied and the appropriate trees have been planted.
City of Sugar Hill 5.12 Tree Preservation and Tree Replacement Regulations
| District | Tree density units |
|---|---|
| 3 in | .05 |
| 4 in | .1 |
| 5 in | .15 |
| 6 in | .2 |
| 7 in | .3 |
| 8 in | .4 |
| 9 in | .5 |
| 10 in | .6 |
| 11 in | .7 |
| 12 in | .8 |
| 13 in | .9 |
| 14 in | 1.1 |
| 15 in | 1.2 |
| 16 in | 1.4 |
| 17 in | 1.6 |
| 18 in | 1.8 |
| 19 in | 2.0 |
| 20 in | 2.2 |
| 21 in | 2.4 |
| 22 in | 2.6 |
| 23 in | 2.9 |
| 24 in | 3.1 |
| 25 in | 3.4 |
| 26 in | 3.7 |
| 27 in | 4.0 |
| 28 in | 4.3 |
| 29 in | 4.6 |
| 30 in | 4.9 |
| 31 in | 5.2 |
| 32 in | 5.6 |
| 33 in | 5.9 |
| 34 in | 6.3 |
| 35 in | 6.7 |
| 36 in | 7.1 |
| 37 in | 7.5 |
| 38 in | 7.9 |
| 39 in | 8.3 |
| 40 in | 8.7 |
| 41 in | 9.2 |
| 42 in | 9.6 |
| 43 in | 10.1 |
| 44 in | 10.6 |
| 45 in | 11.0 |
| 46 in | 11.5 |
| 47 in | 12.0 |
| 48 in | 12.6 |
| 49 in | 13.1 |
| 50 in | 13.6 |
| District | Tree density units |
|---|---|
| 1 in | .4 |
| 2 in | .5 |
| 3 in | .6 |
| 4 in | .7 |
| 5 in | .9 |
| 6 in | 1.0 |
| 7 in | 1.2 |
| 8 in | 1.3 |
| 9 in | 1.5 |
| 10 in | 1.7 |
| 11 in | 1.9 |
| 12 in | 2.1 |
| 13 in | 2.3 |
| 14 in | 2.5 |
TREE PRESERVATION AND REPLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS
proposed to be preserved for credit toward meeting the minimum required Tree Density Standard on a property.
The root system within the dripline is generally
considered to be the critical root zone. To protect
these critical root zones, a tree protection area
shall be established around each tree or group of
trees to be retained.
(1) The Tree Protection Area shall include no less
than the total area beneath the tree canopy as
defined by the dripline of the tree or group oftrees collectively.
(3) Construction site activities such as parking,
materials storage, concrete washout, burn hole
placement, etc., shall be arranged so as toprevent disturbances within tree protection areas.
site, prior to any land disturbance.
(2) All Tree Protection Areas are recommended to be
designated as such with "tree save area signs"
posted in addition to the required protective
fencing, staking, or continuous ribbon. Signs
requesting subcontractor cooperation and
compliance with tree protection standards are
recommended for site entrances.
(3) All Tree Protection Areas must be protected from
soil sedimentation intrusion through the use of
silt screens or other acceptable measures placed
up-slope from the tree protection area.City of Sugar Hill 5.13 Tree Preservation and Tree Replacement Regulations 5.4.1.(CONT.)
(4) All protective tree fencing, staking or
continuous ribbon and all erosion control
barriers must be installed prior to and
maintained throughout the land disturbance and
construction process, and should not be removed
until final landscaping is installed.meeting the minimum required Tree Density Standard on a property shall comply with the following guidelines and standards:
a. The spacing of replacement trees must be compatible
with spatial site limitations and with responsible
consideration towards species size when mature.site. Standards for transplanting shall be in keeping with those established by the International Society of Arboriculture, as included in the "Tree and Shrub Transplanting Manual," latest edition, or similar publications. Refer to the American Association of Nurserymen publication "American Standard for Nursery Stock" (ANSI Z60, 1973) for plant material quality specifications. Refer to the "Manual of Woody Landscape Plants" (Michael Dirr,
1983, Castle Books) or similar publications for information on tree species site requirements.
pests, disease, nutritional disorders or root defects, and must be of good vigor, so as to assure a reasonable expectation of survivability.
City of Sugar Hill 5.14 Tree Preservation and Tree Replacement Regulations
TREE BANK
Ordinance, the City may, with the consent of the property owner, relocate the tree at the City's expense to City- owned property for replanting, either for permanent utilization at the new location, or for future use at other City property.
as though the tree was proposed to remain on the property, if the tree is relocated to a site designated by the City at the owner/developer's expense.
City of Sugar Hill 5.15 ARTICLE 6 PLAN AND PLAT SPECIFICATIONS