Auburn, AL Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

The Municipal Tree Ordinance (Chapter 17, Article IV) makes it unlawful for any person, business, or entity to remove, relocate, alter, damage, or destroy a protected tree without first getting a permit from the appropriate city department, per Section 17-64(4). A 'protected tree' under Section 17-63 is any tree located on public property, meaning city parks, rights-of-way, and other city-owned ground; a 'tree' is defined as a woody plant at least 13 feet tall at maturity with a single trunk at least 3 inches in diameter.

This ordinance does not reach trees on private residential lots; it governs only trees the city owns or maintains along streets and in parks. When an applicant asks to remove, relocate, or alter a protected tree, Section 17-65 directs the reviewing department to weigh four factors: the tree's health, structural integrity, and hazard potential; whether removal is absolutely necessary for reasonable use of the property; the impact on the area's tree canopy; and the applicant's willingness to accept protection and replacement conditions. City departments must also consult the city official (the person the city manager designates to administer the ordinance) before removing or altering any public tree, unless the tree poses an immediate danger, per Section 17-64(1).

The city official may unilaterally order removal of any tree that is unsafe, diseased, or infested with injurious insects or fungus under Section 17-64(2). Trees severely damaged by storms, or trees under utility lines where standard pruning is impractical, can be exempted from the permitting requirement under Section 17-64(3). New curb cuts that would endanger a protected tree require the city's express permission under Section 17-64(6).