Atlanta needs a stronger tree protection ordinance, one rooted in the ecology of and character of the city
The City of Atlanta is growing and changing. Our City has just under 500,000 residents now, but we anticipate a population nearly triple the current number over the next generation of growth. We face the challenge, as a City and a Department, to protect and expand the ecological value of our watersheds, forests and habitats while guiding and accommodating the desired growth anticipated in the Atlanta City Design. Not changing is not an option, but by intentionally guiding growth we can include everyone towards a future city we are all in love with. The Atlanta City Design vision requires a new and stronger tree protection ordinance, one rooted in the ecology of and character of Atlanta. Atlanta is at its best when we celebrate our unique identity, the juxtaposition of a vibrant city and a verdant forest. Our Tree Protection Ordinance should be an instrument to reinforce this logic.
In May of 2018, The City of Atlanta’s Department of City Planning (DCP) initiated a study of Atlanta’s urban ecology to best understand where we can preserve, restore, and accentuate our unique ecological identity—of which the tree canopy is a major component. This study was a direct extension of the Atlanta City Design in which nature is a core value of our planning philosophy. We must design for people, for nature, and for people in nature. The information deduced from the Urban Ecology Study, as well as Atlanta City Design, has provided a strong scientific base for the development of a Tree Protection Ordinance. It is with that in mind that we approached a rewrite of Atlanta’s Tree Protection Ordinance, one of the first significant policy changes to arise from the Atlanta City Design.
The benefits of Atlanta’s urban forest are numerous. Trees improve physical and mental health and create settings that help strengthen social connections. They help clean air and water, sequester carbon, cool urban heat islands, create habitat for wildlife and insects, and provide a host of other important environmental services. A new tree ordinance must maintain and enhance those benefits for everyone, prioritize protection of the tree canopy, and promote better design in development projects as we plan for future growth, all while using the framework of the Atlanta City Design. We believe those goals can be achieved through this Tree Protection Ordinance. However, we need your help to have this discussion, as some of the questions and issues posed can be challenging to navigate, involve opposing interests, and may have tough answers that compel community agreement.
We’ve seen the discussion around a new Tree Protection Ordinance raise other related issues that will impact Atlanta’s growth, including housing affordability, transportation and infrastructure. But no tree protection ordinance can —or should—be the vehicle to solve zoning, housing, equity, density, and other quality-of life challenges. We have considered these issues where possible, but to fully address them requires major changes to other City programs and codes.