Understanding Atlanta’s 2025 City Ordinances: 5 Local Laws Every Resident Should Know in 2025

Research for post done by a NGJ volunteer Christina Samuel

The Reality of Living in Atlanta

Living in Atlanta means more than just staying cool in the summer heat and beating traffic during rush hour. From what we build to where we park, every aspect of city life is shaped by local laws and ordinances. In 2025, the Atlanta City Council approved a series of new city ordinances impacting zoning regulations, rules that govern how land and buildings can be used across the city.

These Atlanta zoning changes play a major role in promoting health, safety, and the overall welfare of the community. They helped preserve architectural integrity and property values while separating residential and industrial zones appropriately. Understanding these updates is crucial for residents, developers, and business owners alike.

Here are five key Atlanta ordinances in 2025 every resident should know, why they matter, and how you can get involved.

1. Tree Protection Ordinance Update

The long-anticipated update to Atlanta's Tree Protection ordinance was passed on June 16th, 2025, marking a major step in the city's ongoing environmental policy reforms. The “recompense” fee for removing protected trees increased from around $130 per diameter inch, and fines for illegal tree removal in Atlanta were doubled. The city also boosted its Tree Trust Fund to $400,000 to help low-income seniors manage hazardous trees on their property.

Trees are a crucial part of Atlanta's identity and sustainability efforts, but the city's urban tree canopy has been shrinking, threatening to worsen flooding, increase heat, and reduce air quality. Protecting this canopy is essential to reducing stormwater runoff and maintaining environmental balance.

What does this mean for residents? Removing or pruning large trees can now come with costly fees, and for renters it could mean fewer mature trees in the long run. Still, these updates aim to preserve one of Atlanta’s greatest natural assets while supporting equity through environmental stewardship.

2. Cool Roof Requirement

The city of Atlanta passed ordinance 25-O-1310, updating the building code to require cool roofs with higher solar reflectance for new construction. So what changed? New roofing materials must now meet specific solar reflectance and thermal emissivity standards designed to improve air quality and reduce urban heat across neighborhoods.

Due to climate change, Atlanta’s summers are hotter than ever, leading to rising cooling costs for residents. The new Atlanta cool roof ordinance helps mitigate these costs while reducing environmental impact and supporting energy-efficient building design citywide.

If you're building a new home or upgrading your roof, be sure to double-check compliance with the city's green building codes. Ask your contractor about cool roof options that meet reflectance standards. Even old homes can benefit from a high-reflectance roof or coating, improving comfort, efficiency, and climate resilience in Atlanta.

3. Data Centre Permit & Resource Management Ordinance

The Atlanta City Council has tightened rules for data center development through a new Data Center Permit & Resource Management Ordinance, requiring special use permits and detailed resource management planning for both water and energy consumption.

This ordinance promotes transparency in how data centers use water, energy, and the impact of their exterior design on surrounding communities. Data centers can consume large quantities of energy and water, which, when unmanaged, may strain city infrastructure.

If your neighborhood is being considered for a large data center, attend public permit hearings and ask questions about water and energy impacts, mitigation strategies, and how these projects comply with Atlanta’s data center regulations. Staying informed ensures residents can participate in city planning and advocate for responsible resource management in Atlanta.

4. “Stitch” Special Services District & Tax Levy for the I-75/85 Corridor

In April 2025, the Council approved three ordinances related to the Stitch Project in Atlanta over I-75/85, which establish a Special Services District, assign a tax levy on properties within it, and enable execution of inter-governmental agreements.

Specifically, Ordinance 25-O-1168 imposes an ad valorem tax levy on properties in the Stitch district, while Ordinance 25-O-1169 & 1170 define the district boundaries and allow the city and partner agencies to implement the project. The Stitch project aims to reclaim space above the I-75/85 corridor in downtown Atlanta, a key area for infrastructure upgrades and redevelopment.

These changes can shift tax burdens, influence real estate, and affect surrounding neighborhoods. Residents and businesses in or near the Stitch Special Services district may experience changes in property tax assessments, new redevelopment, increased commercial and office development, and related impacts on housing, traffic, and infrastructure.

Stay engaged by monitoring public meeting about the Stitch district, asking how tax levies affect homeowners versus commercial properties, and learning what protections or programs exist for long-term residents to avoid displacement during the I-75/85 redevelopment in Atlanta.

5. Zoning Code Rewrite — ATL Zoning 2.0

While not yet fully in effect in 2025, the major rewrite of the city’s zoning ordinance, known as ATL Zoning 2.0, is in progress and slated for full adoption by January 2026. This Atlanta zoning rewrite 2025 aims to replace the 1982 zoning ordinance, streamline regulations, allow more diverse housing types, and align standards with current and future needs.

Zoning determines what can be built, where, how dense, how tall, and how many units are allowed, so zoning changes in Atlanta directly affect housing affordability, neighborhood character, development patterns, transportation, and equity.

If your neighborhood is targeted for rezoning, you could see changes in permitted housing types (e.g., accessory dwelling units, townhomes), increased density, altered parking requirements, and shifts in home values. For organizations focused on underserved populations, this could present opportunities or risks, such as affordable housing vs. gentrification.

Residents are encouraged to attend public zoning-rewrite hearings, review how their area is classified, and examine proposed changes. Advocate for the inclusion of affordable housing, transit access, and community safeguards to ensure the Atlanta neighborhood development benefits all residents under ATL Zoning 2.0.

These 5 ordinances highlight how 2025 is a big year for Atlanta policy. The rules may seem technical – but they shape your neighborhood, your program venues, your service targets, and your community’s future. Stay informed, engage your network, and make your voice heard.

Resources

Atlanta Regional Commission. Regional Transportation and Infrastructure Plan 2025–2030. ARC, 2025. https://atlantaregional.org

Broadbent, A. M., Krayenhoff, E. S., & Georgescu, M. (2020). Efficacy of cool roofs at reducing pedestrian-level air temperature during projected 21st century heatwaves in Atlanta, Detroit, and Phoenix (USA). Environmental Research Letters, 15(8). https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab6a23

City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management. 2025 Stormwater Management and Green Infrastructure Ordinance. City of Atlanta, May 2025. https://www.atlantawatershed.org

Freemark, Y. (2023). Zoning change: Upzonings, downzonings, and their impacts on residential construction, housing costs, and neighborhood demographics. Journal of Planning Literature. https://doi.org/10.1177/08854122231166961

Humphries, J., & Taylor, K. (2021). Analyzing the relationship between major public investments and neighborhood change in Atlanta. Atlanta Studies.

Issue Review: Zoning change: Upzonings, downzonings… (Urban Institute)

Krimmel, J., & Wang, B. (2021). Upzoning With Strings Attached: Evidence From Seattle’s Affordable Housing Mandate. Cityscape: A Journal of Policy Development and Research, 25(2).

Lee, S., Cho, Y.-I., Lee, M.-J., & Lim, Y.-S. (2023). The evaluation of the temperature reduction effects of cool roofs and cool pavements as urban heatwave mitigation strategies. Applied Sciences, 13(20), 11451. https://doi.org/10.3390/app132011451

Li, D., Bou-Zeid, E. R., & Oppenheimer, M. (2014). The effectiveness of cool and green roofs as urban heat island mitigation strategies. (Civil & Environmental Engineering, etc.)

Santamouris, M., Synnefa, A., & Karlessi, T. (2011). “Using advanced cool materials in the urban built environment to mitigate heat islands and improve thermal comfort conditions.” Solar Energy, 85, 3085–3102.

Wang, X., Li, H., & Sodoudi, S. (2022). The effectiveness of cool and green roofs in mitigating urban heat island and improving human thermal comfort. Building and Environment, 217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109024