§ 17-67. Planting, maintenance and removal.

Installation. All trees and landscaping shall be installed in a sound workmanlike manner and according to accepted planting procedures with quality materials as provided in literature from the Georgia Forestry Commission, Georgia Cooperative Extension Service, or International Society of Arboriculture. All landscaping for each phase of development shall be completed prior to the recording of the final plat for that phase or prior to the issuance of certificate of occupancy for that phase. All tree wrap, flagging, twine, bamboo stakes, grafting tape and tags and other potentially harmful materials should be removed from the planting hole, root ball, and tree. Contact the department of planning and development for site inspection upon completion of landscape installation.

Maintenance. The property owner shall be responsible for the maintenance of all landscaping. Landscaping shall be maintained in a good condition so as to present a healthy, neat and orderly appearance at least equal to the original installation. Any dead vegetation and landscaping material or any damaged nonliving landscaping materials shall be promptly replaced with materials equal to the original installation. Trees with less than fifty (50) percent of their original crown present and thriving, trees with greater than fifty (50) percent of the circumference of the bark removed anywhere along the trunk, trees that are in conflict with surrounding infrastructure, or trees with a high risk of failure shall be removed and replaced.

Removal and protection.

(1)

The natural landscape shall be preserved in all possible instances.

(2)

Not more than twenty-five (25) percent of the landscaping on any nonexempt land may be destroyed within any five-year period without prior approval of the administrator, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. The issuance of a building permit or land disturbance activity permit shall also constitute approval by the administrator. It is not the intention of this requirement to prevent any owner from thinning by cutting and removing undesirable shrubs, vines, and excess trees, consistent with good forestry practices, in order to protect and promote the development and growth of the remaining trees and shrubbery.

(3)

During development there shall be erected and maintained suitable protective barriers around all trees to be retained so as to prevent damage thereto. All building materials, dirt or other debris shall be kept outside the barriers. There shall be no paving with any impervious materials or grading within the Critical Root Zone (CRZ) of any trees retained.

(4)

Unobstructed view. At a minimum, no planted material or landscaping structure with a height greater than three (3) feet shall be permitted within an area beginning at the intersection of any right-of-way lines of any streets, roads, highways, driveways, curb cuts, or railroads, and extending twenty (20) feet along each such right-of-way, and closed by a straight line connecting the end points of the said twenty (20) feet sections of the right-of-way lines.

Irrigation systems. Irrigation or sprinkler systems shall not be installed within a public right-of-way.

(Ord. No. 43-09, § 1, 10-1-09)