Legal Documents of Gatlinburg

The purpose and intent of this chapter is to promote the health, safety, and public welfare of the inhabitants of the City of Gatlinburg and, consistent with forestry policy and practice as promulgated by the Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry of the State of Tennessee, to promote and encourage the protection of existing trees and root systems; to regulate the preservation, replacement, and indiscriminate removal of trees; and to establish procedures and practices and minimum design standards for fulfilling these purposes.

The standards established herein are intended to: promote air quality; reduce noise, heat and glare; lessen soil erosion and minimize flooding; ensure that development activities in one (1) area do not adversely affect activities within adjacent areas; minimize the unnecessary removal of trees during development; stress the importance of trees as a visual screen; promote the development of open space corridors for wildlife and recreational activities; beautify and enhance improved and unimproved land; promote the preservation of the city's historical "rural community" heritage; and, minimize the cost of construction and maintenance of drainage systems necessitated by increased flow and diversion of surface waters. (as added by Ord. #2408, April 2009)