Trees on a single-family lot outside the City’s 75-foot stream buffer are exempt from the standalone tree-removal permit.
City of Dunwoody, Georgia · 2026 guide
Dunwoody tree protection, in plain language.
First identify the property type, stream-buffer conditions, and whether the work is part of development or a substantial building permit.
Read the requirementsCurrent Chapter 16 tree-protection processLast reviewed September 17, 2026
At a glance
Start with the property, the tree, and the proposed work.
Trees within the City stream buffer remain regulated, including on a single-family property.
On nonresidential, mixed-use, and multifamily lots, hardwoods reach the removal-permit threshold at ten inches DBH.
On those same property types, softwoods reach the removal-permit threshold at twenty inches DBH.
The tree category changes the size threshold.
Dunwoody separates hardwood, softwood, and understory trees. Those are regulatory classes, and the same measured diameter can require a permit in one class but not another.
Hardwood
Generally a broadleaf tree, but common names can mislead. Confirm the species and the City’s classification before using the ten-inch threshold.
Softwood
Often a conifer such as a pine, but not every evergreen is safely classified from appearance alone. Confirm the species before using the twenty-inch threshold.
Understory
A species that normally matures beneath the upper canopy. It does not mean any young, suppressed, or short tree; Dunwoody applies a separate six-inch threshold to this class.
Not sure which category applies? Record clear photographs and the tree’s leaves, needles, bark, branching, and fruit or cones when present. A qualified arborist or the reviewing jurisdiction can confirm the species and regulatory class.
01 / First question
Is the property inside Dunwoody?
A Dunwoody mailing address can be outside incorporated City limits. Confirm both the jurisdiction and whether a mapped stream or buffer affects the proposed work before relying on the single-family exemption.
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.
Single-family property
The stream buffer is the key first check.
A standalone tree-removal permit is generally not required for trees on a single-family lot outside the City’s 75-foot stream buffer. Other permits, easements, covenants, or project requirements can still apply.
Nonresidential, mixed-use, or multifamily
Size and tree class set the threshold.
A removal permit is required for hardwoods at least ten inches DBH, softwoods at least twenty inches DBH, and understory trees at least six inches DBH.
Stream-buffer tree
Removal is limited and documented.
A permit is required for any tree in the City’s 75-foot stream buffer. Approval standards focus on trees deemed dead, dying, diseased, insect-infested, or hazardous.
Development or substantial building
Use the project tree-protection process.
Development and substantial-building applications require a tree-protection plan prepared and sealed by a registered landscape architect, certified arborist, or registered forester.
03 / Project record
Treat the tree plan as part of the permit set.
For development and substantial building work, the City’s code calls for coordinated professional documentation. Depending on the site, the package can include:
01
Sealed tree survey with specimen trees, size, species, and location
02
Critical root zones and trunk-base elevations
03
Trees proposed for preservation and removal
04
Limits of disturbance, grading, access, and utilities
05
Protection fencing and construction details
06
Tree-density, replacement, and planting calculations
04 / Condition + risk
Condition evidence can determine whether a removal path is available.
The application requires photographs and allows the City Arborist to request a third-party arborist report when the submitted information is not sufficient. Tree Collective can collect mapped tree data and prepare a TRAQ-informed assessment where risk is the basis for a decision; the City retains permit authority.
05 / Conservation + replacement
Replacement depends on property type and project context.
Nonresidential, mixed-use, and multifamily removal approvals must satisfy the applicable site-density standard. Specimen-tree removal carries additional replacement expectations using species with comparable mature size and quality.
Development and substantial-building plans have broader preservation, density, and replacement requirements. Use the current City code and approved plan rather than applying the standalone removal thresholds to a construction project.
06 / Professional support
A sealed plan is required for the larger project pathway.
Tree-protection plans for development and substantial building permits must be prepared and sealed by a registered landscape architect, certified arborist, or registered forester. The related tree survey may also be sealed by a registered surveyor or engineer. Early coordination helps keep trees, grading, utilities, and access from conflicting late in review.
Official applications + sources
Go directly to Dunwoody.
Official source
Tree removal code
Current Chapter 16 provisions, including permits, exemptions, plans, and professional requirements.
Open source+Official sourceTree replacement code
Tree preservation, replacement, and revegetation requirements.
Open source+Official sourceCommunity Development
City department contacts, permit portal, and development resources.
Open source+Source review
Reviewed September 17, 2026.
Reviewed against the current Dunwoody Code of Ordinances Chapter 16 and official Community Development resources. Confirm mapped stream buffers, current forms, and fee requirements with the City before removal.
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.