Landscaping Rules in Delaware County, PA (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
Verified from official government sources
Tree Trimming
Delaware County does not regulate tree trimming on residential streets. In municipalities that have adopted the Pennsylvania Shade Tree Act, a shade-tree commission has exclusive control of trees in the public right-of-way. Trees wholly on your own land are yours to prune.
Street-Tree Trimming Falls to Municipal Shade-Tree Bodies
Some Restrictions53 P.S. §2811 (Act of May 31, 1907, P.L. 349, §1)
a Commission of three freeholders, to be known and designated as the Shade-tree Commission of the said township, borough, or city ... who shall have exclusive and absolute custody and control of, and power to plant, set out, remove, maintain, protect, and care for, shade-trees, on any of the public highways of the said townships, boroughs, and cities.
Tree Removal & Heritage Trees
Delaware County issues no tree-removal permit. For street trees, the local shade-tree commission controls removal under state law; for private trees, a permit is needed only where a municipality's tree-conservation or zoning ordinance requires one. Many Delco towns have no private-tree permit at all.
Tree-Removal Permits Are Issued by Municipalities
Some Restrictions53 P.S. §2811 (Act of May 31, 1907, P.L. 349, §1)
who shall have exclusive and absolute custody and control of, and power to plant, set out, remove, maintain, protect, and care for, shade-trees, on any of the public highways of the said townships, boroughs, and cities.
Water Restrictions
Delaware County publishes no lawn-watering schedule. Mandatory outdoor-water restrictions in Pennsylvania take effect only when the Governor declares a drought emergency; the DEP's drought coordinator issues informational watch and warning notices, and your water utility may add its own rules.
Watering Limits Come From State Drought Declarations
Some RestrictionsPA DEP Drought Information
Drought watch and warning are informational declarations issued by the Coordinator with input from the Drought Task Force. Drought emergency declarations, which have mandatory conservation requirements, follow a similar process but require final approval by the Governor.
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