Tree Protection in Fitchburg, WI

If you live in Fitchburg or are thinking about moving there, tree protection are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Fitchburg has 2 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of tree protection, and some of them might surprise you.

Parkway Planting

In Fitchburg, Wisconsin, the city forester decides where every tree or shrub goes in a public way, terrace or park under City Code Chapter 54. Section 54-106 sets a 35-foot spacing rule between parkway trees, a two-foot buffer from any curb or sidewalk, and a minimum trunk diameter, so residents cannot simply plant a tree in the terrace on their own.

Key details: Spacing between parkway trees: 35 feet minimum, forester may vary. Curb/sidewalk buffer: 2 feet minimum from curbline or sidewalk. Minimum trunk diameter: 1 1/12 inch, measured 12 inches above grade. Vision plane at intersections: 30 inches high, two 45-foot legs. Enforcing official: City forester (parks and forestry manager).

Planting, altering or removing anything in the terrace without the forester's written permit violates Chapter 54 and triggers the citywide general penalty under Section 1-21: a forfeiture of $25 to $500 for a first offense and $50 to $1,000 for repeat offenses within a year, plus prosecution costs, with each day of a continuing violation counted as a separate offense enforceable in Fitchburg Municipal Court.

Heritage & Protected Trees

Fitchburg has no landmark or heritage-tree designation program, but Sec. 24-4(g) forces every subdivider to inventory and protect "desirable trees": 15 named native species at least six inches in diameter, following the city's Tree Protection Guidelines before any new lot is platted.

Key details: Heritage tree program: None as a standalone ordinance. Governing rule: Tree preservation plan, Sec. 24-4(g). Protected size: 6+ inches diameter at 4.5 ft. Protected species: 15 named native trees qualify. Survey required by: Certified arborist or equivalent.

Recording a plat or certified survey without the required tree preservation plan, or removing desirable trees outside what the approved plan discloses, blocks final plat approval under Chapter 24 and can be treated as a land-division violation; Sec. 24-2(i) routes land-division penalties to the forfeiture schedule in Chapter 70.

The Bottom Line

Fitchburg's tree protection rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Fitchburg is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Fitchburg's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.