Tree Removal in Marietta, GA

Permits & rules in Marietta

Marietta's tree ordinance (Zoning Ordinance 712.08) exempts any single residential lot with one dwelling structure containing no more than two units, so typical homeowners need no permit to remove trees on their own property (exceptions: lots in the Residential Infill Development Overlay or developments with approved tree plans). On non-exempt parcels (commercial, multi-family, development sites) no tree may be removed without prior authorization from Development Services; dead, dying, diseased or hazardous trees require a Notification of Tree Removal form with staff verification, decided within 10 business days, and removed trees that counted toward site tree density must be replaced or paid into the Tree Replacement Fund. Specimen trees are defined by species, size and condition for preservation credit rather than a single size cutoff. Street/right-of-way trees are not addressed in 712.08.

Storm debris: Marietta Public Works' Sanitation Division collects curbside yard debris (limbs normally capped at 4 in. diameter by ordinance) and has run free expanded storm-debris pickups after major events (up to 8 in. x 6 ft after the fall 2020 storm), but logs and tree-service debris are never collected (770-794-5595).

Trees we see most in Marietta

• Willow oak Signature Marietta street and yard oak; large limbs over roofs and lifted sidewalks
• Water oak Short-lived oak that hollows and drops limbs after 60-80 years; frequent removal
• Loblolly pine Tall, shallow-rooted Piedmont pine that snaps or uproots in storms
• Tulip poplar Fast, weak-wooded giant on north-facing slopes; sheds big limbs
• Sweetgum Common volunteer with surface roots and spiky fruit; often removed from lawns
• Bradford/Callery pear Splits at weak unions in wind and ice; invasive and widely removed

Weather & timing

• Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes Spring and summer storms are the top cause of tree failure in Cobb County
• Tropical storm remnants Irma (2017) and Zeta (2020) toppled thousands of trees in Cobb; Helene (2024) added more
• Ice storms The 2014 ice events loaded pines and pears to failure across metro Atlanta
• Saturated clay and drought cycles Wet winters cause root-plate failure of big oaks; summer drought stresses pines

Best time: Dormant season (November-February) is ideal: leafless canopies make structure visible, oaks and maples heal cleanly, and crews are less booked than in storm season.