Apple Valley, MN Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

Section 152.46 ties every removal to the tree preservation component of the project's natural resources management plan. That component inventories each significant tree by size, species, condition and location, identifies the ones to be removed, and shows the replacements (§ 152.16(C)). A significant tree is any healthy deciduous tree measuring eight inches or greater in diameter, or any coniferous tree measuring six inches or greater in diameter, at four and one-half feet above grade (§ 152.02). Every significant tree is tagged with its plan number before project work begins and stays tagged until the project is complete.

Replacement follows the land use. Commercial, industrial and institutional lots replace 10% of the diameter inches removed with 10% caliper inches on the lot. Residential lots follow the quoted rule for removals inside the building footprint, impervious areas or within 20 feet of foundation walls. Removals more than 20 feet outside the foundation walls need a minimum of two caliper inches for every significant tree removed, on the lot. Projects outside those categories replace 10% of the diameter inches within the subdivision.

Replacement trees follow the 15-10-5 diversity rule, and box elder, poplar, willow and silver maple are not permitted. Deciduous replacements are two caliper inches or greater and conifers no less than six feet high, all healthy stock meeting the American Standards of Nursery Stock and ANSI A300 planting guidelines. They go in before the permit expires or within 30 days of completing construction, whichever comes first, unless the city approves a later date for planting season. A replacement that is not alive or healthy, or that dies from construction activity within one year after project closure, is removed and replaced within eight months. A significant tree lost in violation of the plan is replaced with equal caliper inches, and a lost significant oak must be replaced by an oak placed where the city decides.

Outside development projects, § 152.42(C) requires a hazard tree on private property to be removed immediately and in no case more than 15 days after the city serves notice. Businesses that cut, trim or remove trees need a city tree work license (§ 152.43). The Public Works Director is the City Forester (§ 152.40), and variances go through the zoning variance process under § 152.24.