Charlotte's Unified Development Ordinance went into effect on June 1, and it includes some new regulations around tree removals. Here's what you need to know.
Did you know that according to a recent analysis of Charlotte, NC's tree canopy, the city is losing the equivalent of about three football fields worth of trees a day?
With all of the benefits a healthy tree canopy has to offer, it's no wonder Charlotte officials want to do their part to protect the city's tree canopy. In order to help do so, new regulations for trees have been included in the city's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), which went into effect on June 1.
The UDO was created to act as a guide for future land development in Charlotte. According to the Charlotte Observer, it's "the first time all of the city's development regulations have been consolidated into one document." The ordinance includes rules around zoning, building heights, and, you guessed it, tree canopy preservation.
The regulations of the UDO aim to protect "heritage trees" as much as possible. Heritage trees are defined as large, native trees that are at least 30 inches in diameter. Before removing a heritage tree, homeowners and developers will need to get a permit from the city. They'll also have to perform certain actions to mitigate the loss of the tree, including planting a new tree on the property and making a "heritage tree mitigation payment." Diseased or hazardous trees are exempt from these regulations.
Take a look at the full UDO here: Charlotte UDO
Whether you want to do your part to preserve the tree canopy in Charlotte by improving the health of your trees or you need to remove a problem tree, our experts can help. We have ISA-arborists on staff who can help you put a plan together to care for all of the trees on your property.
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