Lynnwood's Tree Protection: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles tree protection a little differently. In Lynnwood, Washington, there are 2 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Heritage & Protected Trees

Lynnwood lets property owners nominate an exceptional tree for heritage status under LMC 17.15.070, and once the parks and recreation board adopts it, it is unlawful to remove, damage, or harm the tree without public works department approval, a restriction recorded against the property.

Key details: Governing section: LMC 17.15.070. Nomination path: Written request to public works dept.. Decision body: Parks and recreation board. Owner consent: Required for private-property trees. Recorded notice: Filed with Snohomish County auditor.

It is unlawful to remove, damage in any way, or defile a heritage tree, its plaque, or any protective measure for it, and unlawful to prune, trim, remove any limb, disturb the ground within its critical root zone, or undertake any activity that may harm it without prior public works department approval (LMC 17.15.070(D)). General Chapter 17.15 enforcement applies: the director may issue a stop-work order, require replacement trees calculated from the tree-unit table, assess civil penalties under LMC 1.01.085, and, if a replacement order is not obeyed, impose a civil fine of $25.00 per day.

Compared to other cities, Lynnwood takes a harder line on heritage & protected trees. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Parkway Planting

Lynnwood calls the parkway strip between the sidewalk and the street a "planting strip," and it requires the abutting property owner to improve and maintain it, whether planted or not, so nothing there becomes a hazard or spreads into the sidewalk.

Key details: Code term used: "planting strip" within "transition strip". Maintenance duty: abutting property owner. Material allowed: living or nonliving materials. Encroachment rule: must not encroach onto sidewalk. Violation fine: up to $250.00 per offense.

Failing to maintain the planting strip, whether by letting vegetation encroach onto the sidewalk or by allowing debris or an unsecured hazard to remain, is enforced the same way as any other Chapter 12.12 maintenance failure. LMC 12.12.090 treats an uncorrected violation as a public nuisance, with a fine of up to $250.00 per offense if not abated within 45 days of written notice from public works.

The Bottom Line

Lynnwood'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 Lynnwood is broadly strict or permissive.

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