A development inventory shows every specimen tree and every tree at least 12 inches DBH.
City of Berkeley Lake, Georgia · 2026 guide
Berkeley Lake tree rules, in plain language.
Berkeley Lake uses separate routes for standalone removal, development tree plans, grading, right-of-way work, specimen trees, and inherited parcel controls.
Read the requirementsCurrent reviewed ordinance packageLast reviewed September 17, 2026
At a glance
Start with the property, the tree, and the proposed work.
The reviewed size group begins at 28 inches, with the ordinance’s condition criteria also required.
The reviewed small native flowering group begins at 12 inches, subject to species and condition confirmation.
The reviewed conifer group begins at 30 inches, with the full condition test still required.
01 / First question
Is the property inside Berkeley Lake?
This guide applies inside the incorporated City of Berkeley Lake. A postal address does not establish jurisdiction. Confirm the property point, parcel controls, approved plans, easements, buffers, and current City instructions before relying on a general rule.
Best first step
Use the address lookup on the Tree Collective ordinance map, then confirm the result with the governing jurisdiction before beginning work.
Open the ordinance lookup02 / Permit paths
The condition of the tree and the reason for work shape the path.
Standalone removal
Use the City tree-removal route.
Identify each proposed removal, condition, reason, and retained-tree context before filing.
Development or grading
Prepare the qualified survey and tree plan.
Plans can require boundaries, trees, specimen status, disturbance, buffers, structures, utilities, grades, and protection.
Work within 25 feet
Protect retained trees before work begins.
Protected trees within 25 feet of work require barriers and silt screening, City inspection, and continued protection through occupancy.
GC-A parcel
Retrieve the inherited parcel record.
A Gwinnett County-Annexed parcel may retain specific pre-annexation zoning conditions. Current Gwinnett rules cannot simply be substituted.
03 / Project record
Connect the tree record to the property and proposed work.
The exact package depends on the site and project. Useful information can include:
01
Tree number, location, names, DBH, condition, and disposition
02
Specimen trees and tree-density units
03
Buffers, structures, utilities, grades, and disturbance
04
Tree-protection barriers and inspections
05
Parcel-specific zoning and inherited GC-A records
04 / Condition + risk
Tree condition and permit authority are different questions.
A TRAQ-informed assessment can document condition, targets, likelihood, consequences, and reasonable mitigation. Tree Collective can collect the tree point and field evidence. The City decides whether that evidence satisfies its ordinance and permit process.
05 / Conservation + replacement
Preservation, replacement, and site controls must be read together.
Tree size alone rarely supplies the whole answer. Project type, location, buffers, zoning, approved plans, tree condition, and proposed disturbance can change the review path.
Confirm current forms, calculations, fees, bonds, planting standards, inspection steps, and closeout requirements with the City before work.
06 / Professional support
Use the arborist record to make the next decision clearer.
A consulting arborist can identify and map trees, document condition and risk, coordinate root protection with grading and utilities, and prepare a record for owners, contractors, designers, and reviewers. Regulatory approval remains with the governing authority.
Official applications + sources
Go directly to Berkeley Lake.
Source review
Reviewed September 17, 2026.
Prepared from the source-backed AskR Tree Collective publication reviewed September 17, 2026. This guide explains the reviewed record; it does not determine property-specific applicability or replace City confirmation.
This is practical educational information, not a permit decision or legal advice. Requirements can change and may depend on site conditions, project scope, administrative standards, and staff findings.
Tree Collective consulting
Bring the tree question into focus.
Tree Collective can help interpret ordinance requirements, inventory trees, assess condition and risk, review construction impacts, prepare tree protection plans and arboricultural prescriptions, and organize permit documentation for the project team.
Tree Collective does not issue permits, control municipal decisions, or act on behalf of the City.