Landscaping Rules in New Britain, CT (2026)
5 verified landscaping rules for New Britain, Connecticut, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
No one may cut down, remove, or trim a tree standing in a New Britain public street without the permission of the board of park and recreation commissioners, under Code of Ordinances Sec. 21-7. The identical rule is repeated for street-side trees at Sec. 21-18, both carried forward unchanged from the 1970 Code.
New Britain Permit Needed to Trim Street Trees
Some RestrictionsNew Britain Code of Ordinances §§ 21-7, 21-18
No person shall cut down or remove any tree or trim any of the trees located in the public streets without the permission of the board of park and recreation commissioners. ... No person shall cut down or remove any tree or trim any of the trees located on or along the public streets of the city, without the permission of the board of park and recreation commissioners.
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
Removing a tree designated as a legacy tree in New Britain requires prior approval from the tree warden under § 17-91. A property owner who is denied can appeal by written petition to the director of public works within five business days of the notice. Removing a public legacy tree without approval costs the offending party two times the tree's assessed value under § 17-93(d).
New Britain Legacy Tree Removal Requires Warden Approval
Significant RestrictionsNew Britain Code of Ordinances § 17-91
(a)The removal of trees identified as legacy trees shall require the approval of the tree warden.(b)Any party may appeal the decision of the tree warden through a written petition requesting a hearing and setting forth a brief statement of the grounds therefore within five (5) business days after the postmarked date of the notice of potential violation. Upon receipt of such petition, the direct...
Weed Ordinances
New Britain treats uncut grass, weeds or undergrowth of nine inches or more in length as a blighting condition under section 7-42(b)(2)i, and a property with enough documented occurrences becomes officially blighted, exposing the owner to a written correction order and fines under sections 7-44 and 7-45.
New Britain Nine-Inch Grass and Weed Limit
Some RestrictionsNew Britain Code of Ordinances § 7-42(b)(2)i
Each instance of the following physical conditions shall constitute a blighting condition:a.Doors, windows or other openings into houses, apartment buildings or commercial buildings which are: ... i.Uncut grass, weeds or undergrowth at least nine (9) inches in length;
Water Restrictions
New Britain's water use restriction ordinance, Code of Ordinances Section 23-124, lets the city impose watering-day and irrigation limits once a state of water use restriction or drinking water emergency is declared. Restrictions can ban automatic sprinklers, limit outdoor watering to off-peak days like weekends, or require hand-held hose watering with an automatic shutoff nozzle.
New Britain Outdoor Watering Restriction Ordinance
Significant RestrictionsNew Britain Code of Ordinances § 23-124(e)
(e)Restricted water uses. A declaration of a state of water use restriction shall include restrictions consistent with the response measures indicated in the individual water supply plans of the department of public works utility division and the Connecticut Drought Preparedness and Response Plan, as appropriate. ... (1)Automatic sprinkler use. The use of automatic sprinkler systems is prohibit...
Composting
New Britain's nuisance ordinance bars accumulating rubbish or offensive waste on any property, but section 11-10(c) of the Code of Ordinances expressly carves out an exception: the section "shall not be construed to prohibit composting performed in a sanitary manner," and the city sets no separate permit or bin standard for it.
New Britain Allows Sanitary Home Composting
Few RestrictionsNew Britain Code of Ordinances §§ 1-15, 11-10(a), (c)
Whenever in this Code or any other ordinance of the city ... where no specific penalty is provided, the violation ... shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00). Each day any such violation shall continue shall constitute a separate offense. ... (a)No owner, tenant or occupant of any premises and no other person shall cause or permit the accumulation, or place...