Bristol Township, PA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Bristol Township, PA, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Permit required for
- Cutting, pruning, injuring or removing any shade tree
- Issuing body
- Shade Tree Commission of Bristol Township
- Application filed with
- Managing Director, in writing
- Application must state
- Exact location and species of each tree
- Maximum fine
- $600 plus court costs per offense
- Only exception
- Immediate necessity for protection of life or property
Summary
In Bristol Township, Pennsylvania, no one can cut, prune, break, injure or remove a shade tree on a public highway without first getting a written permit from the Shade Tree Commission. The only exception is immediate necessity for protection of life or property. A violation carries a fine of up to $600 plus court costs for each offense.
The following regulations shall, from the adoption of this article, be the regulations of the Bristol Township Shade Tree Commission and shall be enforced by the aforesaid Commission: A. It shall be unlawful for any person, without first obtaining a permit, to cut, prune, break, climb with spurs, injure in any manner or remove any shade tree; to cut down or interfere in any way with the main roots of any shade tree; to spray with any chemicals or insecticides any tree; to place any rope, guy wire, cable, signs, posters or other fixtures on a tree or tree guard; or to injure, misuse or remove any device placed to protect shade trees, except in case of immediate necessity for protection of life or property. ... Any person who shall violate or fail to comply with any of the regulations of the Shade Tree Commission of Bristol Township shall be liable, upon conviction thereof, to a fine or penalty not exceeding $600, plus court costs, for each and every offense
Full Breakdown
Chapter 186 of the Bristol Township Code, adopted 7-15-1959 as Ord. No. 302 by the Board of Commissioners (now Township Council), gives the Shade Tree Commission of Bristol Township custody and control of the shade trees on the public highways of the Township, with authority to plant, remove, maintain and protect them (§ 186-2). Section 186-1 defines a shade tree as any shade tree, shrub or other woody plant on a public highway in the Township, or any part of one that extends within the lines of a public highway. That definition ties the permit rule to the public highway line, and it covers shrubs and overhanging limbs as well as full-size trees.
Section 186-4A makes it unlawful to remove a shade tree without first obtaining a permit. The same permit requirement applies to cutting or pruning, climbing with spurs, cutting down or interfering with the main roots, spraying any tree with chemicals or insecticides, and attaching ropes, guy wires, cables, signs or posters to a tree or tree guard. Only immediate necessity for protection of life or property excuses the missing permit.
Applications go in writing to the Managing Director on forms he furnishes (§ 186-3). The application must state the particular kind of work and the exact location and species of every tree affected. The Managing Director submits each application promptly to the Commission for approval or disapproval. The Commission decides how long the permit lasts and prints that on the permit, can revoke it on proof that its terms are being or have been violated, and can require the applicant to file a bond or deposit securities as a condition of issuing it. A Tree Warden appointed by the Commission enforces the regulations (§ 186-5).
Trees that a developer agrees to keep during a land development are covered by a separate rule, the tree protection zone in § 177-52, which also requires dead trees in the zone to be replaced with an approved canopy tree in a location designated by Council.
Violations & Fines
Anyone who violates or fails to comply with a Shade Tree Commission regulation is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $600, plus court costs, for each offense (§ 186-6). If the fine and costs go unpaid, the court can impose imprisonment for a term not exceeding 30 days. Once the Commission or a summons has notified the person of the violation, each further day it continues is a separate offense with the same fine. The Commission can also revoke a permit whose terms are broken.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in front of my house in Bristol Township?
Who decides whether a Bristol Township shade tree permit is granted?
Can I cut a tree without a permit in an emergency?
What is the penalty for removing a shade tree without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bristol Township
Compare Bristol Township to another location·View the Pennsylvania landscaping rules overview
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