Brookhaven staff recommends deferring Mayfair Drive specimen-tree removal request to Nov. 19
March 01, 2026 | Brookhaven, DeKalb County, Georgia
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Staff recommended that the Board of Appeals defer consideration of VAR 25281307 (Mayfair Drive), a request to remove a specimen tree outside the building envelope, to the Nov. 19, 2025 docket to allow more review and alternative designs.
At the outset of the item the staff presenter said, "staff is recommending to defer the case to 11/19/2025," and noted the applicant had submitted a revised site plan that might show a driveway location between two trees but that preserving the trees may still be feasible with design adjustments and careful utility placement.
Why it matters: The application involves a specimen tree whose critical root zone slightly encroaches onto an adjacent property. Members discussed whether alternatives exist to preserve the tree — including retaining the existing driveway alignment or redesigning the house and driveway — and agreed additional information from the applicant and the arborist is needed to assess feasibility.
Board members raised questions about how the arborist calculated monetary "values" listed in the packet (figures described as ranging roughly from $1.50 to $23). The Chair noted the figures appeared low for replacement cost and asked staff to confirm whether the numbers represent annual ecosystem-service benefits rather than a replacement-value figure. Staff agreed to consult the city’s tree canopy manager and to ask the applicant’s arborist, identified in the packet as Christie Bryant, to explain the valuation methodology before the next meeting.
Board discussion also covered typical conditions when specimen-tree removal is permitted. Members said stump grinding and other mitigation are commonly required and asked whether the tree is properly classified as a boundary tree; staff said they would follow up and report back if the case is deferred.
What happened next: The applicant agreed with staff’s suggestion to revisit the case; staff will solicit clarifications from the arborist and the canopy manager and return the matter at the suggested Nov. 19 date. No final board vote on the Mayfair Drive variance was recorded at the work session.
The work session adjourned at 6:29 p.m.
At the outset of the item the staff presenter said, "staff is recommending to defer the case to 11/19/2025," and noted the applicant had submitted a revised site plan that might show a driveway location between two trees but that preserving the trees may still be feasible with design adjustments and careful utility placement.
Why it matters: The application involves a specimen tree whose critical root zone slightly encroaches onto an adjacent property. Members discussed whether alternatives exist to preserve the tree — including retaining the existing driveway alignment or redesigning the house and driveway — and agreed additional information from the applicant and the arborist is needed to assess feasibility.
Board members raised questions about how the arborist calculated monetary "values" listed in the packet (figures described as ranging roughly from $1.50 to $23). The Chair noted the figures appeared low for replacement cost and asked staff to confirm whether the numbers represent annual ecosystem-service benefits rather than a replacement-value figure. Staff agreed to consult the city’s tree canopy manager and to ask the applicant’s arborist, identified in the packet as Christie Bryant, to explain the valuation methodology before the next meeting.
Board discussion also covered typical conditions when specimen-tree removal is permitted. Members said stump grinding and other mitigation are commonly required and asked whether the tree is properly classified as a boundary tree; staff said they would follow up and report back if the case is deferred.
What happened next: The applicant agreed with staff’s suggestion to revisit the case; staff will solicit clarifications from the arborist and the canopy manager and return the matter at the suggested Nov. 19 date. No final board vote on the Mayfair Drive variance was recorded at the work session.
The work session adjourned at 6:29 p.m.
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