Tree removal permit rules in Kent County, MI — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Kent County has no tree-removal permit for private yards; it is set by your city. In Grand Rapids you need a free City Forester permit to remove a shade or ornamental tree over three feet mature height in any street or right-of-way.
Removing a tree standing entirely on your own private property is not regulated at the county level and, in most Kent County communities, needs no municipal permit either. The regulated case is a tree in the public street or right-of-way. Grand Rapids requires a City Forester permit (no fee) to remove a shade or ornamental tree, plant, or shrub with a mature height greater than three feet in any street; the applicant must grind the stump and return the right-of-way to its original condition and locate utilities first. Removal without a permit voids any approval. Some communities also protect trees in critical dunes or wetlands under state NREPA rules.
Grand Rapids: removing a right-of-way tree without a permit, or not restoring the right-of-way, voids the permit and may trigger Chapter 42 enforcement and restoration costs.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Kent County's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
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