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Staff proposes 10-foot landscape strip in overlay districts with waiver for constrained rights-of-way
Summary
Text amendment TA25-06 would align Chapter 27 landscape and parking-lot planting rules with the city's Chapter 14 tree ordinance by establishing a 10-foot minimum planting zone for overstory trees in overlay districts, with a waiver if right-of-way, utilities or existing trees constrain installation.
Planning staff introduced text amendment TA25-06 to amend Chapter 27 of the zoning ordinance so minimum planting areas in parking lots and streetscapes match the city's tree ordinance (Chapter 14). Staff said the tree preservation manager recommended a 10-foot minimum landscape strip or planting zone to allow an overstory street tree to fully grow and develop.
The amendment includes a waiver mechanism: where right-of-way is insufficient, where existing trees or overhead/underground utilities would be impacted, the tree preservation manager (under Chapter 14) and the community development director could reduce the minimum planting area rather than forcing an applicant through a variance or board-of-appeals process. Planning staff said this is intended to give administrative flexibility for constrained corridors such as parts of Peachtree Road and Buford Highway.
Board members questioned how the new requirement would interact with approved multimodal/multiuse plans (for example, bike lanes and paths) and whether those projects would effectively preclude planting a 10-foot buffer. Planning staff clarified that overlay districts must still comply with multimodal plans and that the waiver process is meant to reconcile conflicts administratively. Staff also noted city-initiated projects would not be subject to the same developer landscape requirements.
Why it matters: the change can increase tree canopy potential along commercial corridors but must be balanced against other street-design priorities such as multiuse paths that require limited right-of-way.
Next steps: the amendment was discussed in the work session and staff will include comments in materials for the regular meeting where the board may take formal action. No formal vote was recorded at the work session.
