With redevelopment continuing to reshape Dunwoody's Perimeter Center, Hammond Drive, and Ashford Dunwoody Road corridors, and with teardown-rebuilds ongoing in older neighborhoods like Georgetown and Dunwoody Village, lot clearing is one of our most requested services from builders and homeowners preparing a parcel for construction. We work directly with City of Dunwoody and DeKalb County permitting requirements so a clearing project doesn't stall a build schedule — it's one of five services detailed on our Dunwoody tree service hub.
We assess the full lot for tree density, species mix, and terrain before clearing, removing trees, brush, and stumps in a sequence that keeps the site accessible for equipment throughout the job. Dunwoody's terrain often means grading and erosion planning need extra attention on lots that slope toward Wildcat Creek, the North Fork of Nancy Creek, or their tributaries, where stormwater control matters both for compliance and for protecting neighboring properties downhill — the city's own multi-year stormwater project around the Dunwoody Nature Center is a good example of how seriously this gets treated locally. Because Dunwoody's single-family tree density requirements can trigger replanting obligations even during larger clearing projects, and because unincorporated DeKalb County parcels nearby require a Notice of Tree Removal for jobs taking out more than five trees or a specimen tree, we account for likely permitting and replanting costs in the plan up front rather than surprising a builder with them mid-project — the same considerations that apply to a standalone tree removal carry over here. For builders on a schedule, we can sequence clearing in phases to match permitting or grading milestones rather than a single all-at-once pass.
Cost depends heavily on lot size, tree density, and whether stumps need full removal or grinding. Wooded residential lots typically cost less to clear than heavily forested acreage requiring extensive debris hauling, and access matters too — a lot with existing road frontage clears faster and cheaper than one requiring temporary access cut through adjacent brush or tight side-yard setbacks common in Dunwoody's older subdivisions. Where the city's tree density rules or DeKalb's specimen-tree notice requirements apply, we build any expected replanting or documentation cost into the estimate up front.
Dunwoody's Tree Preservation Ordinance sets tree density and replanting expectations for single-family lots based on square footage, and applies separate DBH-based permit thresholds to non-residential, mixed-use, and multi-family clearing — relevant for larger projects near Perimeter Center. Any portion of a lot inside a 75-foot stream buffer near Wildcat Creek or a Nancy Creek tributary faces additional permit and arborist-report requirements regardless of project size. Where a parcel sits in unincorporated DeKalb County rather than inside Dunwoody's city limits, we also flag the county's Notice of Tree Removal requirement — see the county's own homeowner guide for how that process works, and check our service area page if you're unsure whether your parcel is in our coverage zone.
It depends on the property type and location — single-family lots outside a stream buffer face lighter requirements than non-residential, multi-family, or stream-buffer-adjacent parcels under the city's Tree Preservation Ordinance, and unincorporated DeKalb County parcels follow their own rules. We help identify what applies to your specific lot before work starts.
Yes — selective clearing to preserve specific trees or a buffer line is common and something we plan for during the walk-through, especially where the city's tree density requirements make preservation the smarter choice anyway.
A typical residential lot takes a few days; larger or heavily wooded acreage, or lots with significant creek-buffer area to work around, can take longer depending on density and access. We'll give you a realistic timeline as part of the estimate.
We haul debris off-site by default, though some clients choose to have wood chipped and left on-site for erosion control during construction.
Yes, we regularly coordinate directly with builders and contractors on redevelopment and teardown-rebuild timelines around Perimeter Center, Georgetown, and Dunwoody Village — reach out through our contact page to discuss a project pipeline rather than a one-off job.