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Illegal Cutting The City often receives calls from citizens concerned that the tree pruning or removal they see in their neighborhoods might be illegal. Not all trees in Seattle are regulated by the City, however, many are and illegal cutting can be divided into the following categories: PARKS: Trees growing within the boundaries of City of Seattle, Department of Parks and Recreation-owned parks and boulevards, as well as City-owned greenbelts may only be pruned after obtaining a permit from the Department of Parks and Recreation. Tree removal is not allowed for view improvement. Tree topping is prohibited on all Parks properties. RIGHTS-OF-WAY: Trees growing within street or alley rights-of-way may only be pruned or removed after obtaining a permit from the Urban Forestry section of the Seattle Department of Transportation. Trees growing within unimproved rights-of-way are also included in these regulations. Tree topping is prohibited on all rights-of-way. ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL AREAS (ECAs): Removing, clearing or any action detrimental to habitat, vegetation or trees is prohibited within ECAs and regulated by the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) - see Client Assistant Memo (CAM) 331. This includes areas characterized by steep slope, potential slide areas, known slide areas, wetlands, wetland buffers, riparian corridors, shoreline habitat and shoreline habitat buffers. Only non-native and hazardous trees ( CAM 331B) can be removed within some of these ECAs and only with a replanting plan reviewed and approved by DPD ( SMC 25.09.320 and CAM 331A). General tree maintenance is allowed without permits, as long as the action is not harmful to the health of the tree, and meets accepted pruning standards. Treetopping is prohibited in ECAs. UNDEVELOPED LOTS: On undeveloped lots, trees greater than 6 inches in diameter and trees considered Exceptional (Director’s Rule 6-2001) are regulated by DPD. Additionally, DPD also protects Exceptional trees on lots with a single-family residence that are zoned for multi-family or commercial development (SMC 25.11). Currently, trees that do not fall in any of the categories listed above are NOT regulated by City ordinance. For example, a large tree growing in the front or back yard of a private residence may be removed at the discretion of the property owner if it is not on a designated ECA. Tree companies working on regulated trees or in regulated areas should have a copy of any permit that has been issued by a City department in their possession on the job site. If they cannot produce a permit, they are subject to a stop-work order. Reporting Illegal Cutting
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