Council committee forwards substitute to exempt some city projects from tree ordinance after public opposition

A substitute ordinance to exempt certain city-administered public infrastructure projects from Chapter 158, Article 2 of the City of Atlanta Code (the tree protection ordinance) was forwarded to the Finance Executive Committee with no recommendation after hours of public comment and committee discussion.

The substitute, sponsored by Councilmembers Marcy Collier Overstreet and Dustin Hillis, would exempt public projects administered by the Department of Watershed Management, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Enterprise Asset Management from the city's current TPO until a new ordinance is adopted. It would require the city to pay into the tree trust fund for the replacement value of trees removed beyond those replaced on a project-by-project basis and would subject tree loss on adjacent private property to the site plan review process in the TPO.

The substitute drew objections from tree advocates and nearby residents during the meeting's public comment period. Judy Yee of Trees Atlanta urged council members to "evaluate the tree protection ordinance that is on your desk, right now and move to find ways to enthusiastically endorse it." Dalil Anthony of The Tree Next Door said a wholesale exemption for public projects was "a bit excessive, extreme, and it's really jumping the gun," noting community expectation that the new ordinance would be considered by City Council on April 21. Laura Dobson, a Peachtree Hills resident, warned that exemptions would allow removal of hundreds of healthy trees along Peachtree Creek and the Northeast Connector Trail with "no recompense and no replanting."

Deputy Chief of Staff Theo Pace told the committee he had discussed the proposal with Councilmember Overstreet and said he had "talked with Councilmember Overstreet, and we discussed the idea of having a site project specific waiver rather than a blanket waiver, and she is very amenable to that." Pace moved to forward the substitute, with no recommendation, to the Finance Executive Committee so the authors and administration could refine the language. Councilmember Mary Norwood seconded the motion. The committee voted to forward the substitute with no recommendation; the clerk recorded three yeas, zero nays and two abstentions.

Committee members and administration representatives said the city has projects that proponents say have been delayed because of limited space to replant trees, including fire stations and police precincts. Several committee members said they prefer project-specific waivers rather than a blanket exemption so each project's tree impacts can be evaluated individually.

The substitute will be considered in the Finance Executive Committee the next day. Committee members and advocacy groups said they expect additional edits and more community review before final council action.

The meeting's public commenters on this issue were primarily focused on preserving canopy and ensuring recompense or replanting when trees are removed for public infrastructure. Committee members repeatedly emphasized that the substitute was not final and that further changes were expected during the finance committee review.