Tree Protection in Edmonds, WA (2026)
3 verified tree protection rules for Edmonds, Washington, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Heritage & Protected Trees
Edmonds runs no separate heritage or landmark tree registry. Instead, ECDC 17.130.020 defines a "specimen tree" as one of exceptional size, form or rarity, and ECDC 17.130.060(D) places specimen trees first in the mandatory retention priority list applied to every developing site in the city.
Edmonds Specimen Tree Retention Priority
Some RestrictionsEdmonds Community Development Code §§ 17.130.020, 17.130.060(D)(1)
"Specimen tree" means a tree of exceptional size or form for its species or rarity as determined by the city's qualified professional. ... ... D. Priority of Tree Retention Requirements. Significant trees to be retained should be retained in the following order of priority: 1. Priority One. a. Specimen trees; b. Significant trees which form a continuous canopy; c. Significant trees on slope gre...
Protected Tree Species
ECDC 17.130.050 bars removing any "protected tree," one designated for retention on an approved plan or permanently protected by easement or covenant, anywhere in Edmonds: on vacant lots pending development, during permitted demolitions, and inside critical areas, buffers or native growth protection easements, with narrow exceptions only for documented hazard or nuisance trees.
Edmonds Protected Tree Removal Ban
Significant RestrictionsEdmonds Community Development Code § 17.130.050
A. Protected Trees. Removal of protected trees is prohibited, except as provided for in ECDC 17.130.040(F), hazard and nuisance trees, or through an approved modification of a landscape plan. B. Vacant Lots. Removal of trees from a vacant lot prior to a project development is prohibited except as provided for in ECDC 17.130.040(F), hazard and nuisance trees. C. Demolition of Structures. Tree re...
Parkway Planting
Planting, removing or pruning any tree in an Edmonds street right-of-way, parking strip or planting strip requires a permit from the director of public works under ECDC 18.85.020. The director issues the permit only if the work matches the 1982 Edmonds Street Tree Plan, the applicant shows competence in tree care, and the proposed method and workmanship are adequate.
Edmonds Street Tree Planting Permits
Some RestrictionsEdmonds Community Development Code § 18.85.020
A. Required. ... No person shall plant, remove, prune or otherwise change a tree on a street, right-of-way, parking or planting strip or other public place without a permit from the director of public works. This permit requirement does not apply to city employees under the direction of the director of public works. ... ... C. Issuance. The director of public works shall issue the permit if the...
Looking for Snohomish County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Edmonds city rules.
Tree Protection in Snohomish County →