Decatur yards: what we plan around
Decatur is a small city, about four and a half square miles, packed with 1900s to 1950s bungalows, Craftsman houses and cottages. Lots are small, often a tenth to a third of an acre, and many houses have added space at the back. The tree canopy is heavy, with big oaks over most streets.
Equipment often has to fit through a gate or a narrow side yard, and digging near old trees needs care. The Eastern Continental Divide runs right through the city, and the soil is the same slow-draining red clay found across the metro.
Projects we build most in Decatur
- Compact patios and seat walls that make a small back yard work as an outdoor room.
- Front walks and steps that suit an older house and its porch.
- Garden design for shade and part shade under the canopy.
- Drainage for back yards where additions pushed water toward the lot line.
Permits and rules in Decatur
- Decatur protects every structurally sound tree 6 inches in diameter or larger. Removing one, or disturbing its roots, needs the City Arborist’s consent through an approved tree conservation plan or a removal permit. If a project needs a building or site permit and could affect protected trees, you meet with the arborist first.
- Decatur has five local historic districts: MAK (McDonough-Adams-Kings Highway), Clairemont Avenue, Ponce de Leon Court, Parkwood and Old Decatur. Exterior changes there, including fences and walls, typically need a Certificate of Appropriateness. Some well-known neighborhoods, such as Winnona Park, are on the National Register but aren’t local review districts.
- Retaining walls over 4 feet need a building permit and engineering.
We map protected trees, check for historic district rules and line up the arborist meeting before we design. We last checked these rules in October 2026.
Neighborhoods we serve in Decatur
Oakhurst, Winnona Park, Clairemont-Great Lakes, Glennwood Estates, College Heights, Ponce de Leon Heights, Midway Woods, Parkwood and the streets around downtown Decatur.