Top-rated landscapers in Athens, GA

Athens sits on Piedmont clay, and Athens-Clarke County has its own rules on tree removal, stream buffers, watering and yard debris. This guide covers those rules, free local advice, and what to check before you hire landscapers or a tree service. For the statewide picture, see the Georgia guide.

Clay soil on the Piedmont

The New Georgia Encyclopedia places Athens "in the rolling Piedmont of northeast Georgia." Its Piedmont article says the region's rocks are often covered by decomposed rock called saprolite, "which is the red clay of Georgia," and that it is highly erodible once its tree cover is removed. In practice:

• Keep bare soil covered with mulch, straw or plants during and after a project. Steep grades may need a retaining wall.
• If water stands after rain, see yard drainage solutions.

Tree removal rules

Athens-Clarke's Community Tree Management Ordinance aims to keep at least 45% canopy cover, mainly through conservation and replanting during development. Whether a homeowner needs paperwork depends on lot size, tree location and zoning, says the county's tree FAQ. Its tree removal flowchart sorts it out:

• Approved site plan, tree management plan or overlay district: contact the Planning Department first.
• Parcel of one acre or less zoned RS-5, RS-8, RS-15, RS-25 or RS-40: no notice is required, unless the trees are in the county right-of-way or an environmental area.
• Larger or differently zoned parcels: removing five or more trees requires the state's Notice of Timber Harvesting first.
• Trees in the county right-of-way: contact the Community Forester.

On Milledge Avenue between West Broad Street and Lumpkin Street, front-yard trees 8 inches in diameter or larger are in a Tree Preservation Area and need a separate permit, per the FAQ. The Community Trees page lists the County Arborist at 706-613-3515 and the Community Forestry Coordinator at 706-613-3561.

The county recommends a Certified Arborist for work on living trees, and its Community Tree Program offers home tree inspections by registration. Not sure a tree needs to come down? See how to tell if a tree is dying.

For new trees, the FAQ says to plant from November to early March, while trees are dormant. The county's Tree Species List rates trees by canopy size and setting, such as utility corridors, and marks some "Do Not Plant."

Yards along a creek

Athens-Clarke protects a stream buffer for 75 feet from the top of the bank on both sides. Inside it, you need a permit to build decks, patios, fences or walls, to move 10 cubic yards or more of dirt, or to clear vegetation, even invasive plants. Mowing an existing lawn needs no permit. Never remove living trees within 25 feet of the bank or apply fertilizers or pesticides in the buffer.

Watering

The county's outdoor water use schedule (subject to change) limits automated irrigation and lawn sprinklers to 4 p.m. to 10 a.m. Drip and soaker hoses, hand watering with a shutoff nozzle, and newly installed turf for its first 30 days are allowed anytime. Running irrigation during rain over 1/4 inch and letting water run into the street are not allowed. The Water Conservation Office is at 706-613-3729.

Yard debris pickup

The county's Leaf and Limb service takes one load per rotation: 25 paper lawn bags, a limb pile about 6 by 6 by 4.5 feet, or a mix. Plastic bags are refused, and limbs can be no more than 4 inches in diameter. Debris goes out by 8 a.m. on the Monday of your pickup week. Stumps and logs aren't collected, and hired tree and yard crews must haul away their own debris, per the FAQ.

Free local advice

The Athens-Clarke County Extension office in Bogart runs free monthly gardening classes, the Green Thumb Lecture Series, from February through November. For soil sample instructions, call 706-613-3640, and see why a lawn soil test helps.

What it costs

Athens quotes vary with lot size, slope, access and debris hauling. These national ranges from our cost guides are a starting point:

• Tree removal: about $385 to $1,070 for most trees, and more for very large or hard-to-reach ones. See tree removal costs.
• Tree trimming: about $430 to $640 per tree on average. See tree trimming costs.
• Lawn care: monthly plans about $100 to $500, mowing about $44 to $71 per visit. See lawn care costs.
• Landscaping: about $4.50 to $17 per square foot. See how much landscaping costs.

Hiring a pro in Athens

• Get two or three written quotes from landscaping companies, with the scope, materials and timeline spelled out.
• For tree work, ask whether the job needs a Notice of Timber Harvesting, a Milledge Avenue permit or the Community Forester's sign-off, and who handles it.
• Make sure the quote covers hauling, since the county won't collect debris left by hired crews.
• Near a creek, confirm who gets any stream buffer permit.
• For lawn spraying, ask lawn care services for their Georgia pesticide license. The Georgia Department of Agriculture licenses companies paid to apply pesticides on other people's property.
• Before digging, make sure someone contacts Georgia 811 at least three business days ahead. The service is free.