Landscaping Rules in Bayonne, NJ (2026)
4 verified landscaping rules for Bayonne, New Jersey, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
In the City of Bayonne, a public utility is barred from pruning any street tree for overhead line clearance without an annual pruning permit from the City. Chapter 14 of the City Code prohibits unauthorized cutting, spraying or injury to any public tree, but lets a utility file yearly for a $100 line-clearance permit and notify the City before crews begin work near a street or sidewalk.
Bayonne Utility Tree Pruning Permit Near Power Lines
Some RestrictionsBayonne City Code § 14-8g
§ 14-8. REGULATIONS WITH RESPECT TO PUBLIC TREES; PENALTIES FOR DAMAGE OR DESTRUCTION OF PUBLIC TREES. ... It shall be unlawful to commit any of the following acts against any public tree without prior written permission from the public entity responsible for the public tree: ... ... g. Any public utility required to prune any public trees so that it can obtain required line clearances for over...
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
Removing or destroying a protected tree in Bayonne requires a permit from the Bureau of Building and a $20 filing fee under City Code Section 14-4, waived for diseased or emergency removals. The Tree Supervisor reviews each application and can require a $250 replacement fee under Section 14-6.
Bayonne Tree Removal Permit: $20 Fee
Some RestrictionsBayonne City Code §§ 14-3(a), 14-4(c), 14-6(a)
No person shall remove, destroy, or cause or allow any living tree to be removed or destroyed without first obtaining a permit. ... The Bureau of Building shall charge any person a $20 fee upon the filing of a completed application. However, no fee shall be charged to obtain a permit for the removal or destruction of a diseased tree, or a tree that must be removed due to an emergency, as define...
Weed Ordinances
Bayonne caps grass, weeds and other plant growth on all premises and exterior property at 12 inches under City Code Section 17-14.8. Overgrowth that becomes a blighting influence or impairs the appearance of nearby properties violates the rule, and the general Chapter 17 penalty runs from $100 for a first offense up to $1,250 per day of continued violation.
Bayonne Maximum Weed and Grass Height
Some RestrictionsBayonne City Code §§ 17-14.8 and 17-21.1
§ 17-14.8. Grass and Other Plant Growth. ... All premises and exterior property shall be maintained free from grass growth, weeds or other plant growth in excess of 12 inches in height, which are detrimental to the public health and welfare, or excessively overgrown as compared to the character and condition of the surrounding properties and where the same could constitute a blighting influence...
Composting
Bayonne lets residents compost leaves on their own property as one way to satisfy the City's mandatory leaf separation program under City Code § 26-1.3, adopted to meet the state's 1987 Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act (§ 26-1.1). The code defines composting as turning organic material into humus, but sets no bin, size or setback standards for backyard piles.
Bayonne Backyard Leaf Composting Rules
Light RestrictionsBayonne City Code §§ 26-1.1, 26-1.2, 26-1.3(b)(1)
Pursuant to Public Law of 1987, Chapter 102, the 1987 Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act, each municipality is required by law to separate leaves for the purpose of composting, and to provide for the recycling of at least three additional items which will be source separated by the generators of such items. ... COMPOSTING Shall mean a process by which organic materials are ...