Where the City Ordinance Stops
Atlanta's tree protection ordinance, its arborist meeting requirement and its posting periods are municipal. They apply inside the City of Atlanta and nowhere else. Cross the line and a different authority applies a different set of rules, some stricter than the city's on other points and some looser on trees.
Recording is separate again. Georgia files deeds with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the land sits, and Atlanta spans Fulton and DeKalb, so two houses in the same city record with different clerks.
The Areas Compared
| Area | Permits | County | What complicates a fire file |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Atlanta | Office of Buildings | Fulton and DeKalb | Tree ordinance and postings |
| Unincorporated DeKalb | The county | DeKalb | County-level permitting |
| Sandy Springs | The city | Fulton | Recently incorporated, own rules |
| Decatur | The city | DeKalb | Small city, own ordinances |
| Marietta | The city | Cobb | Older county seat, different county |
| Alpharetta | The city | Fulton | Newer stock, covenants |
| East Point | The city | Fulton | Older stock on the southern edge |
Areas We Cover
- AtlantaOffice of Buildings, tree ordinance, arborist meeting and postings
- Unincorporated DeKalbCounty permitting, no city ordinance layer
- Sandy SpringsIncorporated recently, own department and its own approach
- DecaturSmall city with its own ordinances and older housing
- MariettaCobb County, older county seat, separate recording office
- AlpharettaNorth metro, newer subdivisions and private covenants
- East PointOlder stock on the southern edge, own department
If Your Area Is Not Listed
We buy across metro Atlanta, including in places without a page here. These are the areas where we hold enough verified local detail to publish something worth reading; a page that swapped one city name into the same sentences would waste your time.
Send the address and we will identify the authority and the county. The statewide layer is set out once on our page covering Georgia disclosure and claim requirements.