Akron, OH Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Akron, OH, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Governs
- Removal of city-owned street trees
- Owner-requested removal cost
- Removal expense plus appraised value
- Self-removal option
- Director may permit, owner assumes liability
- Advance requirement
- Deposit with Director before work starts
- Unpaid balance
- Becomes a lien on the property
- Appeal window
- 7 days, $15 nonrefundable deposit
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor of the fourth degree
Summary
Want a city-owned street tree gone from in front of your Akron property for a driveway or sewer project? Section 101.11 lets the city remove it, but you pay the removal cost and the tree's appraised value, backed by a lien on your property until it's paid.
In the event an adjoining property owner desires the removal of a live city tree for his own convenience or business, such as installation of driveways or sewer trouble, when, in the opinion of the Director of Public Service or his authorized agent, the tree is not the contributing factor, or lawn trouble, the City may remove it but the expense of removal and appraised value of the tree shall be borne by the adjoining property owner. The City shall have a lien for the same on the adjoining property until paid and it may be levied, assessed, and collected as other property taxes or assessments. However, the Director or his authorized agent may, at his discretion, permit such adjoining property owner to remove the tree, in which case the property owner shall assume all expense of the removal and all liability for any damages to property or injuries to persons resulting therefrom. In the above instances a deposit with the Director is necessary in advance of the work to be done. Penalty, see § 101.99.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64).
Full Breakdown
11 sets the removal process when an adjoining owner wants one gone for their own convenience or business, such as putting in a driveway or dealing with sewer trouble. If the Director of Public Service or an authorized agent decides the tree isn't actually the cause of the underlying problem, the city can still remove it, but the adjoining owner bears both the removal expense and the tree's appraised value. Unpaid amounts become a lien on the property, collected the same way as other property taxes or assessments.
The Director may instead let the owner remove the tree directly, in which case the owner takes on all removal costs and all liability for any resulting property damage or injury. 11 requires a deposit with the Director before any work begins. 01 as a tree on private property that, through decay, damage, age, or disease, creates a risk of harm as determined by the Director. 14: the owner can request a hearing before the Tree Commission within seven days of service by filing a written request with a nonrefundable fifteen-dollar deposit, with further appeal rights to the Summit County Court of Common Pleas under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 2506.
Violations & Fines
Failing to pay for a city-authorized removal lets Akron place a lien on the adjoining property, collected like delinquent property taxes. Removing or damaging a city tree without going through § 101.11 or § 101.06's permit-and-deposit process, or ignoring a nuisance-tree order, is a Chapter 101 violation punishable as a misdemeanor of the fourth degree under § 101.99, with fines set at § 130.99.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove the tree in the tree lawn in front of my Akron house?
Does Akron require a deposit before a street tree is removed?
What if I disagree with an Akron nuisance-tree removal order?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Akron
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