Show All Answers

1. Why does the City have a tree protection ordinance?

The goal of the ordinance is to protect well-established and healthy trees and preserve the nature, character and beauty provided by Edina’s tree canopy for generations to come. The ordinance also accounts for and mitigates the loss of trees and wildlife habitat on sites of development and redevelopment. 

2. How does this ordinance help meet the goals of the City’s Climate Action Plan?

Protecting and improving Edina’s trees helps reduce heat island effects, stormwater runoff, air pollution and contributes to a reduction in energy use by buildings adjacent to them.

3. Who must comply with the tree protection ordinance?

Homeowners, other property owners and developers must comply with the updated tree protection ordinance.

4. When is a tree protection plan and Residential Tree Protection Permit required?

A tree protection plan and Residential Tree Protection Permit is required for:

• Demolition permits
• Grading permits
• Subdivision applications
• Building permit applications for principal and accessory structures, including a garage, deck or pool
• Additions

5. What must be included in a tree protection plan?

The plan must indicate where all trees are located and their species, caliper and health. If a critical root zone must be disturbed for construction or related activity, a plan to mitigate it must be submitted and approved by the City Forester.

6. Where do I find a Residential Tree Protection Permit?

The Residential Tree Protection Permit is in our ePermits system.

7. What is a “protected tree"?

A protected tree is any tree that is structurally sound and healthy and is either:

• a deciduous tree that is at least 5 inches diameter at breast height, except box elders, poplar, willow, silver maple, black locust, fruit tree, ash or mulberry; or
• a coniferous tree that is at least 15 feet in height.

8. What is a “heritage tree"?

A heritage tree is a protected one above 30 inches diameter at breast height (deciduous) or taller than 30 feet (coniferous). 

9. What is a “critical root zone"?

The critical root zone is the minimum area around a tree that is to be left undisturbed. It is calculated by measuring the tree’s diameter at breast height (dbh). For every 1 inch of a tree’s diameter, 1.5 feet of root zone radius must be protected.

For example, if a tree’s dbh is 10 inches, then its critical root zone is 15 feet.

10. Can a protected tree be removed?

In some cases, yes. If it is approved for removal, it must be replaced with trees equal to at least 75 percent of the diameter in inches at breast height (dbh) for deciduous or of the height in feet (coniferous). 

Replacement trees must be of species of a similar type and at least 3.5 inches in caliper dbh (deciduous) or 8 feet tall (coniferous).

Failure to replace protected trees on a site results in a cost of $300 per inch below 75% of the dbh removed for deciduous trees or $300 per foot below 75% of the foot height removed for coniferous trees.

11. Can a heritage tree be removed?

In some cases, yes. If it is approved for removal, it must be replaced with trees equal to at least 100 percent of the diameter at breast height (dbh) for deciduous or of the height in feet (coniferous) and subject to conditions.

Replacement trees must be of species of a similar type and at least 4.5 inches dbh for deciduous trees or 10 feet tall for coniferous trees.

Failure to replace heritage trees on a site results in a cost of $500 per inch below 100% of the dbh removed for deciduous trees or $500 per  foot below 100% of the foot height removed for coniferous trees.

12. What happens if protected or heritage trees were removed before an application is submitted?

If protected or heritage trees were removed within one year prior to the date of development, subdivision application, demolition, grading or building permit applications were submitted, the rules for replacement still apply.

13. What is the financial guarantee?

A cash escrow or letter of credit in the amount of 110 percent of the value of the tree replacement identified in the tree protection plan is required. 

14. When do I get the financial guarantee money refunded?

The financial security will be released on this schedule:

1. After the certificate of occupancy has been issued and the City Forester has approved that the Tree Protection Plan has been met, the Forester will inspect the site and calculate the fee owed based on how much trees are preserved or replaced. Half of the original escrow or line of credit, minus this fee, will be released.
2. 36 months after the certificate of occupancy has been issued, the applicant must submit a landscape review by a certified arborist indicating planted and preserved trees are still healthy. If any trees are unhealthy, the certified arborist can replace them onsite and the second half of the financial guarantee (minus the fees above) will be released. If the applicant doesn't replace the trees onsite, the City will keep this half of the financial security.