§ 50-30. Definitions of words and phrases.

(a)

In construing the provisions hereof and the meaning of each and every word, term, phrase, or part thereof, where the context will permit, the definitions of words as contained in the zoning resolution, supplemented by the following, shall apply:

Authorized registered professional.

(1)

The term "authorized registered professional" means:

a.

A landscape architect who is licensed in the state in accordance with O.C.G.A. § 43-23-1(2), (3);

b.

A land surveyor who possesses a current certificate of registration issued by the state in accordance with O.C.G.A. §§ 43-15-2(6), (7) and 43-15-13; or

c.

A professional engineer who possesses a current certificate of registration issued by in the state in accordance with O.C.G.A. §§ 43-15-2(10), (11) and 43-15-9.

(2)

An authorized registered professional shall know and understand the limits of their professional expertise, certification, license or registration and shall not perform work which is outside of the scope of said professional expertise, certification, license or registration. An authorized registered professional shall be liable for complying with all state laws and rules and licensing board requirements that apply to their particular profession, including ethical standards, and shall be liable for failure to meet the applicable standards of professional care. All documents and drawings submitted to the city by an authorized registered professional shall bear that person's certification, license, registration or seal, as appropriate. The certification, license, registration or seal of an authorized registered professional on documents and drawings submitted to the city shall certify that the documents and drawings comply with all applicable city ordinances, rules and regulations and shall certify that the documents and drawings are based on personal knowledge of the conditions depicted thereon and that the accuracy and completeness of the documents and drawings have been verified by field inspection of the facilities depicted thereon.

Buffer means land area used to visibly separate one use from another through screening and distance, to shield or block noise, light, glare, or visual or other conditions, to minimize physical passage to non-similar areas, or to reduce air pollution, dust, dirt, and litter.

Construction buffer means land area in which there is no disturbance until a certificate of occupancy has been issued on the building lot at which time the construction buffer is removed. A construction buffer is a type of buffer which is temporary and remains in effect during the construction of a project.

*Enhanced buffer means land area in which there is no disturbance with the exception for disturbance related to additional required plantings, specific to the zoning case and for approved perpendicular access and utility crossings.

*Landscaped buffer means land area in which grading is allowed and re-vegetation to a buffer standard is required specific to zoning case. Replanted per approved landscape plan.

*Natural, undisturbed buffer means land area in which there is no disturbance and no grading allowed, except for approved perpendicular access and utility crossings.

Stream buffer means the area of land immediately adjacent to the banks of state waters in its natural state of vegetation, which facilitates the protection of water quality and aquatic habitat. The definition of stream buffer is governed by O.C.G.A. § 12-7-3(2).

Per section 50-52(c), "Buffers in which vegetation is non-existent or is inadequate to meet the screening requirements of the buffer, landscape, and tree ordinance shall be planted with supplemental plantings so as to provide an effective visual screen".

Canopy tree means a tree that, under normal forest conditions, will compose the top layer or canopy of vegetation and generally will reach a mature height of greater than 40 feet.

City means the City of Peachtree Corners, Georgia.

Clearing means the removal of vegetation from a property, whether by cutting or other means.

Critical root zone means the minimum area beneath a tree that must be left undisturbed. The CRZ is a concentric circle centering on the specimen tree's trunk with a radius equal in feet to 1.5 times the number of inches of the trunk's diameter at breast height (4.5 feet). Example: the CRZ radius of a 20-inch diameter tree is 30 feet.

Department means the city department of planning and development, as established by the city mayor and council, and as operated through the actions and administration of the appointed director of said department or his designee.

Development regulations means the adopted regulations providing for the subdivision and development of real property within the city, as amended from time to time by the mayor and council of the city.

Diameter, tree, means the diameter of a tree measured as follows:

(1)

For existing preserved trees, at a point 4.5 feet above the ground;

(2)

For new replaced trees, at a point six inches above the ground.

Director means the director of the department of planning and development or his designee.

Dripline means a line on the ground established by a vertical plane extending from a tree's outermost branch tips down to the ground; i.e., the line enclosing the area directly beneath the tree's crown from which rainfall would drip.

Floodplain, 100-year, means those lands subject to flooding, which have at least a one percent probability of flooding occurrence in any calendar year; and specifically, the floodplain as shown on the flood boundary and floodway map as prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Grading means the placement, removal, or movement of earth by use of mechanical equipment on a property.

Green space means that as defined in the zoning resolution.

Hardwood tree means any tree that is not coniferous (cone bearing) or needle bearing.

Land disturbance permit (LDP) means any permit other than a building permit issued by the city that authorizes clearing or grading activities on a site or portion of a site. This permit may be a clearing, clearing and grubbing, grading, or development permit, as defined and authorized by the development regulations of city.

Landscape strip means land area located within the boundary of a lot and required to be set aside and used for landscaping upon which only limited encroachments are authorized.

Modification means a type of administrative appeal that may be granted by the director only where specifically authorized in this article.

Monetary compensation monies means a dollar amount for a tree that is stored in the tree bank.

Monetary compensation value means a unit of measurement that when multiplied by the tree density unit allows a given dollar amount for a tree to be stored in the tree bank.

Open space means that as defined in the zoning resolution.

Screening means a method of shielding or obscuring one abutting or nearby structure or use from another by opaque fencing, walls, berms, densely planted vegetation, or the like.

Shrub means a woody plant of relatively low height, as distinguished from a tree by having several stems rather than a single trunk.

Softwood tree means any coniferous (cone bearing) tree.

Specimen tree means any tree that meets one or more of the identification criteria listed in section 50-119. It is based on the tree's size, type, condition, location or historical significance. See section 50-119 for specific criteria defining specimen trees.

Timber harvesting means the felling, loading and transporting of timber products (pulpwood, etc.). The term "timber harvesting" may include both clear cutting and selective cutting of timber.

Tree means any self-supporting woody perennial plant, usually having a main stem or trunk and many branches, and at maturity normally attaining a trunk diameter greater than three inches at any point and a height of over ten feet.

Tree bank.

(1)

Option One: Trees are planted by the developer at an alternate site; or

(2)

Option Two: A place of storage of monetary compensation for trees.

Tree banking.

(1)

Option One: The process whereby the developer plants and installs trees on an alternative site chosen by the developer with prior approval from the director.

(2)

Option Two: The process of storing monetary compensation for trees with prior approval from the director.

Option One will result in the planting of trees at the following sites, including, but not limited to, fire stations, libraries, schools (excluding city parks and recreation properties), and revitalization projects in community improvement districts within the same district in which the development is located or within five miles of such district. Option Two will result in the planting of trees at parks, greenways, fire stations, and libraries within the same district in which the development is located or within five miles of such district.

Tree canopy calculation means a number given in square feet to a tree or group of trees that reflect the overall canopy at maturity of the trees. See Appendix A which is on file and available for public review in the office of the city clerk for the square feet and section 50-116(c) for calculation requirement.

Tree density standard (TDS) means the minimum number of tree density units per acre which must be achieved on a property.

Tree density unit (TDU) means a credit assigned to a tree, based on the diameter of the tree, in accordance with tables contained in this article.

Tree preservation and/or replacement plan (TP/RP) means a plan that identifies tree protection areas where existing trees are to be preserved and where proposed replacement trees are to be planted on a property to meet minimum requirements, as well as methods of tree protection to be undertaken on the site and other pertinent information.

Tree protection area (TPA) means any portion of a site wherein are located existing trees which are proposed to be preserved in order to comply with the requirements of this article. The tree protection area shall include no less than the total area beneath the tree canopy as defined by the dripline of the tree or group of trees collectively.

Tree thinning means selective cutting or thinning of trees only for the clear purpose of good forestry management in order to protect said forest from disease or infestation and in no way shall be construed as clearcutting.

Understory tree means a tree that, under normal forest conditions, grows to maturity beneath overstory trees and will generally reach a mature height of at least ten feet but less than 40 feet.

Xeriscaping means a method of landscaping utilizing materials which are water-efficient (refer to division 5 of this article for principles and techniques).

Zoning buffer means a buffer required by the zoning resolution or as a condition of zoning, special use or variance approval for a specific property.

Zoning resolution means the zoning resolution of the city, as amended from time to time by the mayor and council of the city.

(Ord. No. 2013-01-04, § 2-1, 1-29-2013)