§ 158-26. Definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Applicant means any person seeking approval to take action under this article.

Boundary tree means a tree on adjacent property whose root save area intrudes across the property line of the site under consideration.

Buildable area means that area of the lot available for the construction of a dwelling and permissible accessory uses after having provided the required front, side, rear and any other special yards required by part 15 or part 16 of the city code.

City shall mean City of Atlanta.

City arboricultural standards means the arboricultural specifications and standards of practice, prepared by the city forester and city arborist and approved by the tree conservation commission, which are adopted pursuant to this article.

City arborist shall mean an agent of the department of city planning responsible for administering this article regarding private property, or an agent of the department of parks and recreation responsible for administering this article regarding public property.

City forester means an agent of the department of parks and recreation responsible for preparing and regularly maintaining the arboricultural specifications and standards of practice, for preparing and administering the master plan and for regulating and conserving trees on public land.

Cover area means that area which falls within the drip line of any tree.

Critical root zone shall mean root save area, as defined below.

Destroy means any intentional or negligent act or lack of protection that is more likely than not to cause a tree to die within a period of five years, as determined by the city forester or city arborist. Such acts include, but are not limited to: performing grade changes (including lowering or filling the grade) that affect more than 20 percent of the root save area; trenching of roots; cutting, girdling or inflicting other severe mechanical injury to the trunk, roots or other vital sections of the tree; removing in excess of 20 percent of the live crown of the tree; inflicting damage upon the root system of a tree by the application of toxic substances, including solvents, oils, gasoline and diesel fuel; causing damage by the operation of heavy machinery; causing damage by the storage of materials; and/or deliberately or negligently burning or setting fire to a tree. In addition, topping, tipping, or any similar improper pruning practices will automatically be deemed as destruction of a tree.

Diameter at breast height (DBH) means the diameter of the main stem of a tree or the combined diameters of a multi-stemmed tree as measured 4.5 feet above the natural grade at the base. The top diameter of a stump less than 4.5 feet tall shall be considered the "DBH" of an illegally destroyed tree for the purpose of calculating recompense.

Disease means any fungal, bacterial, or viral infection that will result in the death of the tree, as determined by the city forester or city arborist. Disease shall also mean any fungal, bacterial or viral infection that has progressed to the point where treatment will not prevent the death of the tree, as determined by the city forester or city arborist. In order for the city forester or city arborist to deem that a tree has a disease, the person requesting such determination must present a lab report identifying and presenting the etiology (the cause and origin) of the fungal, bacterial or viral infection.

Established recompense value means the dollar value to the city of a tree on private or public property used for the purpose of calculating cash recompense for removal or destruction. The established recompense value as of January 2003 is $100.00 per tree and $30.00 per diameter inch. This figure shall be evaluated and adjusted periodically by amendment to this ordinance, as proposed by the tree conservation commission in consultation with the city arborist.

Fair or better condition means that the tree has a relatively sound and solid root, trunk, and canopy structure, no major insect infestation or other pathological problem, and a life expectancy greater than 15 years as determined by the city arborist or city forester.

Flush cutting means the removal of limbs by cutting immediately adjacent to the trunk, destroying the protective branch collar and exposing the trunk to decay organisms.

Fully stocked means a site occupied by trees at a density of 1,000 inches DBH/acre (e.g., 40 trees averaging 25 inches DBH on a one-acre site).

Hardship means a unique or otherwise special existing condition that is not addressed by the ordinance.

Hazard tree means a tree with uncorrectable defects severe enough to pose present danger to people or buildings under normal conditions, as determined by the city arborist or city forester.

Heat island means a ground area covered by an impervious surface that retains solar or other heat energy and thereby contributes to an increase in the average temperature of the ecosystem. An external heat island is one situated outside a site, including but not limited to public streets. An internal heat island is one situated within a site, including but not limited to patios, driveways and other vehicular maneuvering and/or parking areas. Recreational areas including but not limited to swimming pools and game courts are excluded from this definition.

Historic tree means a tree that has been designated by the tree conservation commission, upon application by the city arborist or any other interested person, to be of notable historic value and interest because of its age, size or historic association, in accordance with the city arboricultural specifications and standards of practice. Such designation may occur only by resolution of the commission, and the city arborist shall maintain and file with the municipal clerk a complete listing of the location of each historic tree.

Illegally removed tree means any tree that is removed or destroyed without a permit.

Impacted tree means a tree that will suffer injury or destruction of more than 20 percent but not more than 33 percent of its root save area.

Incursion means any occasion of prohibited activity within an area protected by a tree protection fence.

Injure means any intentional or negligent act, including various tree climbing practices, spiking, trimming, flush cutting, incursion into a designated root save area, and the use of climbing spurs or gaffs on trees not subject to removal that exposes the cambium of a tree to insects or decay organisms.

Live stake means a dormant cutting installed as a component of a City of Atlanta stream bank erosion control or stabilization, or of a City of Atlanta stream or wetland restoration project, that is of at least three-quarters inches in diameter and at least 24 inches in length and cut from a live tree species that will readily sprout roots and grow when driven into the soil. Live stakes include, but are not limited to the following species: Salix x cottetii (Banker's Willow), Salix exigua (Sandbar Willow), Salix nigra (Black Willow), and Salix purpurea (Streamco Willow).

Lost tree means any tree whose root save area will suffer injury or destruction in excess of 33 percent or is otherwise not protected according to the provisions of this article.

Master plan means the comprehensive urban forest master plan.

Mid-canopy tree means a tree that normally attains a DBH of ten—25 inches and a height of 30—60 feet at maturity. Examples include Southern sugar maple, "October Glory" Red maple, River birch, Deodar cedar, Persimmon, Gingko, American holly, Foster holly, Eastern Red cedar, Blackgum, Sourwood, Chinese pistasche, Nuttall oak, Chinese elm, European hornbeam.

New lot of record means a tract of land that has been newly subdivided and so recorded as a separate property of record with the county land registrars office.

Pine means only a member of the genus Pinus, and does not include other needled trees commonly known as cedar, fir, spruce, hemlock, or any other members of the family Pinaceae.

Private arborist means any person who is not employed by the City of Atlanta, and who is a Georgia Registered Forester, or at a minimum, certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) as an arborist and a member in good standing of the ISA.

Private arborist report means a typed report that is submitted and signed by a private arborist, as defined above, and that at a minimum clearly states the arborist's name, contact information and qualifications, and identifies the site address and each individual tree to be considered by the city forester or city arborist.

Private property tree means for purposes of this article, where reference is made to a tree being on "private property", the tree shall be deemed to be on private property where more than 50 percent of the flair of the tree, where the tree interfaces with the earth, is located on private property.

Protective pruning means pruning to elevate branches/limbs that are likely to be damaged by construction activities. Pruning must not exceed 20 percent of the live crown. Protective pruning is not an ISA term.

Pruning means that definition of the term as set forth in both the most recent International Society of Arboricultural pruning standards and guidelines and American National Safety Institute 300.33. At no time shall trimming, topping, tipping or flush cutting of trees be deemed a form of "pruning."

Public property tree means for purposes of this article, where reference is made to a tree being on "public property", the tree shall be deemed to be on public property where at least 50 percent of the flair of the tree, where the tree interfaces with the earth, is located on public property.

Public utility means any publicly, privately or cooperatively owned line, facility or system for producing, transmitting or distributing communications, power, electricity, light, heat, gas, oil products, water, steam, clay, waste, storm water not connected with highway drainage and other similar services and commodities, including publicly-owned fire and police and traffic signals and lighting systems, which directly or indirectly service the public or any part thereof.

Overstory tree means a tree that normally attains a DBH in excess of 25 inches and a height in excess of 60 feet at maturity. Examples include Red maple, Pecan, Hickory, American beech, ash sp., Tulip poplar, Southern magnolia, White oak, Water oak, Southern red oak, Shumard oak, Baldcypress, elm sp.

Required yard area means the open space on a lot not occupied by a structure.

Root save area means the area surrounding a tree that is essential to that tree's health and survival. For a free-standing tree with no apparent root restrictions the root save area shall consist of a circle having a radius of one foot for each one inch of diameter at breast height of the tree. Adjustments to the root save area may be made by the city arborist if justified by specific documented site conditions.

Sampling means the employment of recognized statistical survey methods to count and measure existing trees on a site.

Saved tree means any tree that is to be protected and not destroyed or injured during construction as required by this article.

Silvicultural prescription means any typed site or individual tree prescription developed by a private arborist, as defined above, that is aimed at preserving a tree. Prescriptions must include without limitation: the private arborist's name, signature, and contact information; the site address and individually identified trees at issue; a harvesting or stand improvement plan, soil and foliar analysis/treatment, schedule of treatment, fertilizer application, soil amendments, pesticide application with a copy of the pesticide labeling, and pruning. Trimming, topping, tipping or flush cutting of trees will not be accepted as a part of any silvicultural prescription.

Specimen tree means a tree that meets the following criteria:

(1)

Large hardwoods (eg. oaks, elms, poplars, etc.) and softwoods (eg. pine sp.) in fair or better condition with a DBH equal to or greater than 30 inches;

(2)

Smaller understory trees (dogwoods, redbuds, sourwoods, persimmons, etc.) in fair or better condition with a DBH equal to or greater than ten inches; and

(3)

Lesser-sized trees of rare species, exceptional aesthetic quality, or historical significance as designated by the tree conservation commission.

Spiking means the use of metal spurs or gaffs to climb live trees for any purpose other than tree removal or human rescue.

Severe mechanical injury means a wound or combination of wounds, measured at its or their widest extent, that expose or destroy the cambium layer of 30 percent or more of the circumference of the tree, measured at the top of the wounded area.

Structural root plate means the zone of rapid root taper that provides the tree stability against windthrow. The radius of the root plate is proportional to the stem diameter (DBH) of a tree. The table below provides examples of root plate radii for upright trees without restricted roots.

DBH (inches)	8	16	32	48
Root plate (feet)	5.5	8	10.5	12

 

Subdivision means a tract of land that has been newly subdivided in accordance with the Subdivision Ordinance and so recorded as a separate property of record with the county land registrars office.

Tipping means the cutting of a lateral limb in such manner as to leave a prominent stub extending beyond a branch node or the trunk.

Topping means the cutting of a leader trunk in such manner as to leave a prominent stub extending beyond the node (crotch) of another leader trunk or major branch that may become a leader trunk.

Tree means any self-supporting woody, perennial plant that has a trunk diameter of two inches or more when measured at a point six inches above ground level and which normally attains an overall height of at least ten feet at maturity, usually with one main stem or trunk and many branches.

Tree conservation commission means the commission established pursuant to section 158-61.

Tree replacement plan means a drawing which depicts the location, size and species of existing and replacement trees on the lot for which a permit is sought, and a table detailing, by species and DBH, the existing trees to be saved, lost or destroyed, and, by species and caliper, the replacement trees to be planted.

Tree structure means branch and trunk architecture that result in a canopy structure that resists failure.

Trimming means cutting a stem to an indiscriminate length, as determined by the city forester or city arborist. While trimming is unacceptable, pruning- the act of cutting stems at nodes- is permissible.

Understory tree means a tree that normally attains a DBH of less than ten inches and a height of less than 30 feet at maturity. Examples include Trident maple, Serviceberry, American hornbeam, Redbud, Fringetree, Dogwood, Smoketree, Burford holly, Nellie R. Stevens holly, treeform Crape myrtle, Little gem magnolia, Golden raintree, cherry sp.

Vacant lot means a property of record that has not had a structure on it in the past five years.

(Code 1977, § 10-2035; Ord. No. 2001-102, § 2, 12-11-01; Ord. No. 2003-03, §§ 1, 2, 1-13-03; Ord. No. 2006-04, § 5, 2-14-06; Ord. No. 2007-32(07-O-0362), § 1, 6-12-07; Ord. No. 2009-13 (09-O-0399), § 1, 3-24-09; Ord. No. 2013-27(13-O-1088), § 4, 6-26-13; Ord. No. 2017-14(17-O-1157) , § 6, 4-26-17)

Cross reference

Definitions generally, § 1-2.