All requests to "Landscape", "Enhance the appearance of", or to place "Plants, trees or shrubs" on the State right of way will be reviewed by the proper District Access Management Engineer and forwarded on to Traffic Operations in the General Office or forwarded directly to the Office of Maintenance - Landscape Architecture Unit for their comments and then to Traffic Operations for any comments before formal approval. Formal approval will be granted by the District Engineer unless it is located on a limited access or Interstate facility. In that event, approval will be granted by the Commissioner or the Commissioner's designee.
The Office of Maintenance – Landscape Architecture Unit reviews plans for sight distance requirements, clear zone
requirements, horizontal clearance requirements, plant maintenance and watering needs, and for exclusion of invasive plant
material. The current Regulations for Driveway and Encroachment Control give specific information about intersection sight
distance and clear zone requirements based on AASHTO design guidelines in
Chapter 3,
Section E and
Chapter 4, Section M of the Driveway Manual.
In most cases, applicants will be best served if they provide two sets of preliminary site plans and supporting items with
the following information to the District Access Management Engineer for an initial review:
- An overall site plan and location sketch map which includes:
- The scale of the drawing. The scale should be 1" = 50' (1:600) or larger. If a smaller scale is used for "overall plans",
then enlarged details of the work on the R/W must be furnished on a 1" = 50' (1:600) or larger scale. Draw all features on
the submitted plan to accurate scale.
- All existing features should be shown with dashed lines and all proposed features shown with solid lines. This should
be clearly shown on the plan legend.
- Locations of all property lines and the names of type business and/or the property owner on either side of the property
being developed.
- Location and labeling of the right of way line. A general statement such as "Rights-of-Way Varies" is not acceptable.
- A dashed line indicating the location of the right of way, properly labeled.
- State Route Numbers and U.S. Route Numbers (if applicable) and names of all highways and roads which appear on the plans.
Designations such as "County Road", "Cross Road" or "City Street" are not specific enough and should not be used.
- Existing and proposed contour lines or elevations sufficient to show the natural and proposed drainage features within
the property to be developed. This should include all of the adjacent highway right of way and any elevations needed to
show how the water flows once it leaves this property.
- A north arrow.
- The GDOT milepost, estimated to the nearest tenth of a mile to some point on the property being developed.
- The posted speed limit(s) along the state route(s).
- All existing GDOT signs within the frontage being developed.
- All existing billboards within 500 feet of the site. Permits will not be issued for encroachments within 500 feet of outdoor advertising signs that enhance the visibility of the signs. If a billboard exists within 500 feet of the proposed landscape, plant material that will grow to obstruct the billboard within the 500-foot view zone of the sign face cannot be planted.
- The width of existing roadway pavements, lane widths, lane lines and direction of travel within the lanes.
- Indication of the length of the frontage being developed under the permit.
- A title block showing the name of the property owner (and the permit applicant, if different from the property owner),
the GDOT district number, and the county in which the project is located. The name of the engineer or individual who
prepared the plans should also be included.
- Location and size of any existing and proposed side drain or cross drain culverts, pipes, catch basins, detention ponds,
ditches, etc., and direction of flow within the structure.
- A utility plan showing all utilities above and below ground that are within proximity of proposed plant material.
- Suitable photography, CDs or DVDs of the site showing all existing features.
- An irrigation plan showing the location of water source, valves, controllers, pipes, sleeves, and sprinkler heads, if a
system is proposed. If the work includes installation of sprinkler system within State rights of way, an INDEMNITY
AGREEMENT must be signed by the applicant, approved by the GDOT Commissioner or designee and recorded by the applicant in
the County Courthouse in which the site is located. No irrigation systems will be allowed within the median or traffic
island unless approved by the GDOT Commissioner or designee. The GDOT requires irrigation controllers be located outside
the right of way. Valve boxes need to be locked or located outside the right of way. A shut-off valve at the meter
connection will be required for emergency purposes. Include tracer wires on all mainline and lateral pipes.
Sprinkler heads
must be the "pop-up" type. Drip irrigation is typically not allowed within the GDOT rights of way. Sprinkler systems shall not be permitted in medians except by the approval of the Commissioner.
Shrubs/trees which exceed 30 inches in height cannot be planted within The horizontal clearance minimums for trees and shrubs is listed in the Tree Table A at the end of this document. Street trees should be limbed up a minimum of 7 feet. The GDOT no longer allows invasive species to be planted on the State’s right of way. Refer to the Invasive Species chart (Table B) at the end of this document.
Concrete pavers are not allowed on GDOT right-of-way. The GDOT allows the use of stamped concrete for crosswalks if the
following conditions are met:
- The crossing is at a 90 degree angle with no curves to the roadway
- The width of the treatment is less than 10 feet
- Current ADT is 5,000 or less and truck volume is 10% or less
- When asphalt treatment is used, the maintenance agreements include the statement that when DOT resurfaces the roadway,
the resurfaced treatment will be asphalt only, unless the sponsor funds architectural treatment.
The minimum size for proposed hardwood trees planted on the right of way shall be 2 ˝ inch caliper. Multi-stem trees and
evergreens that do not meet the minimum 2 ˝ inch caliper requirements shall be a minimum of 8 feet tall. The minimum size
shrub shall be a 3-gallon container. The minimum size ground cover shall be a 1-gallon container. All ground cover and
shrubs shall be spaced to provide full coverage within 2 years.
Every effort should be made to use plant material native to Georgia.
All landscaping, roadside development, and maintenance shall conform to GDOT Standard Specifications. The GDOT
Specifications limit the months in which landscape related work for trees and shrubs can occur. Plant installations shall
only be done between the dates of October 15 and March 15.
When the plans have been reviewed and are apparently ready for formal approval as part of a Special Encroachment Permit,
the applicant will be required to furnish five or six copies of the plans, depending on the type facility and if local
jurisdictions require a copy.
When “vegetation control", "landscaping”, landscape clearing", or “vegetation removal” requests are made for work to be done
on the rights of way, the following conditions must be met:
- No trees will be removed except dead, diseased, uprooted or broken trees; or plants which measure 3"(76 mm) in diameter
or smaller measured at breast height (dbh-4 ˝ feet above ground). Flowering trees such as dogwood trees are not to be
disturbed. Cedar trees are not to be trimmed.
- Portions of the limited access fence may be removed for the purpose of cleaning the fence line of all vines and small
bushes growing in the fence. If removed, the limited access fence must be replaced with GDOT standard fencing, in like kind,
along the original location. The applicant must either replace the limited access fence at the end of each day of work or
install a temporary construction fence. No gates or permanent access points will be allowed along the fence unless the
applicant has entered into a right of way Mowing and Maintenance Agreement with the Department.
- If fencing other than the standard hog wire or chain link is approved by the Department, it must be installed one foot
(0.30 m) inside the applicant's property and the applicant must agree to maintain the fence.
- Minor tree trimming (removal of low limbs) up to a height of six 6 feet (2 m) measured from the base may be permitted
as long as no more than 25 percent of the leaf-bearing crown is removed. This trimming may take place within a strip from
the limited access fence to no closer than 32 feet (9 m) from the paved shoulder. This is not to be undertaken for the sole
purpose of "daylighting." Daylighting, which is not permitted, is any vegetation removal whose primary purpose is to
enhance the visibility of adjacent property. The applicant must indemnify the Department and provide a suitable bond,
escrow, and proof of liability insurance.
- All access to the work area is to be from the abutting property, not from the traveled way.
- A GDOT district representative must be made aware of in writing or by emails all proposed cutting and mowing activity
and any limited access fence replacement.
- The permit will be valid for a specific period of time as established by the Department after consultation with the
applicant.
PRUNING
Pruning shall take place at the appropriate time of year and within a strip from the limited access fence no closer than 32 feet from the paved shoulder. No more than 25 percent of the leaf-bearing crown may be removed when pruning. No topping of trees shall be permitted. Selective tree and shrub pruning shall be in conformance with industry standards (according to current ANSI A300 Part 1 guidelines). These guidelines can be purchased online from the American National Standards Institute.
MAINTENANCE
Maintenance management activities may include selective pruning as stated above and mowing of grassed areas. A written,
detailed, narrative description of proposed annual maintenance activities shall be a part of the Mowing and Maintenance
Agreement. The thorough description shall include specific mulching, fertilizing, pruning, watering, weeding, and other
landscape related activities to ensure acceptable maintenance of the site.
The permit shall become part of a required, perpetual right of way Mowing and Maintenance Agreement. A letter may be
required to express concurrence/endorsement between local government and other property owners/agencies or organizations
that are adjacent to the areas proposed for change.
MITIGATION
Mitigation shall be required for the authorized removal or disturbance of trees or other native understory vegetation from
the right of way except as a result of grading for a new driveway. Mitigation is the process of minimizing or rectifying
the impact of lost vegetation.
Include the following in a landscape plan for mitigation:
- All existing vegetation over 4 inches in diameter including location, genus and species of tree, and trunk diameter.
If planning to mitigate for trees to be removed, include the total caliper inches of all trees over 4 inches in diameter.
- All existing native understory vegetation including total square feet and type of shrubs.
- Minimum site restoration proposals.
- The sizes, quantities, spacing and names of all proposed plant material on the right of way. Spacing guidelines for
determining shrub quantities for a given area are: (12” spacing = 1s.f.; 18” spacing = 2.25 s.f.; 24” spacing = 4 s.f.;
36” spacing = 9 s.f; 48” spacing = 16 s.f.). Shrubs and/or groundcover used for mitigation shall be spaced for total
coverage in 2 years.
The minimum site restoration when mitigation is required shall include the following:
- One-half of the total caliper inches of trees removed shall be replaced.
- One-fourth of the total square feet of existing native understory vegetation removed shall be replaced.
- The Department requires that thirty (30) percent of the shrubs and seventy five (75) percent of proposed trees and
shrubs shall be native species or cultivars of native species.
- The Department requires that 75% of all proposed trees shall be hardwood canopy trees.
- Grassing all areas not planted in trees and shrubs according to GDOT Specifications.
- The minimum size for proposed trees shall be 2 ˝ inch caliper and 8-10 feet tall for multi-stem trees. The minimum
acceptable container size for shrubs is 3 gallons and the minimum container size for groundcover is 1 gallon.
Unauthorized vegetation removal will be grounds for sanctions provided for in GDOT Rule 672-14.08 and the Georgia Outdoor
Advertising Control Act, Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA)
Section 32-6-70 et.seq., and
OCGA Section 32-6-95. Procedures shall
apply the same as in cases wherein the Department believes that an illegal tree trimming has taken place. Any person
engaged in unauthorized pruning, trimming, or removal of vegetation is subject to a penalty of $10,000 to $20,000 per
incident and restitution in an amount equal to the appraised value of the trees or vegetation, or both. Reimbursement for
affected vegetation 4 inches in diameter or greater shall be provided in the amount determined by the Department in
Appendix B. For unauthorized removal of any plant material less than 4 inches in diameter,
reimbursement of $500 per 500 feet parallel to the traveled way shall be provided.
Mitigation of value changes to the right of way, or other costs for landscaping plans, traffic control, material handling,
landscaping, vegetation replacement, subsequent maintenance, or other costs incurred by the Department as a result of damage
to the right of way will be the responsibility of the individual or company accountable for the value change. These shall
include a maintenance agreement for the right of way affected, reimbursement for the materials and/or vegetation removed
from the right of way, and/or the replacement of the vegetation removed from the right of way.
All costs for landscaping plans, material handling, traffic control, material handling, landscaping, vegetation replacement,
and subsequent maintenance will be the responsibility of the permit applicant or the individual or company accountable for
damage to the right of way vegetation. A Mowing and Maintenance Agreement shall be required.
In cases where these standards cannot be fully executed, reimbursement for affected vegetation shall be provided in the
amount of compensatory damages determined by the Department in Appendix B at the end of this document.
Mitigation is not required for vines, shrubs, and colonizing seedling trees removed within two (2) feet of limited access fence unless daylighting or vegetation management at signs is considered the objective.
The Driveway and Encroachment Control Manual is available at:
http://www.dot.state.ga.us/dot/operations/traffic-safety-design/subunit/genops.shtml#AccessManagement.
Guidance is provided from the Office of Maintenance regarding landscaping requirements (TOPPS 6755-9), which includes approvals through Traffic Operations;
Guidance is provided by the Office of Planning through the Pedestrian and Streetscape Guide.
The larger of the Posted Speed or Design Speed shall be used to determine Horizontal Clearance criteria.
Utilities and intersection sight distance requirements may affect the location and diameter size of proposed trees in the horizontal clearances and clear zone.
Clear zone requirements are found in the current issue of the AASHTO Roadside Design Guide or the GDOT Driveway Encroachment Manual (Chapter 4).
For rural shoulders, trees should be placed outside the clear zone.
LIMITED LANDSCAPES
A “limited landscape” encroachment permit for landscape enhancement of small areas (less than Ľ acre) on non-interstate or
non-limited access roads may be possible under specific, special circumstances.
See the Limited Landscape Policy Document
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