Sumner County, TN Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Sumner County, TN, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Zoning Resolution Sec. 1104(G)
- Minimum credited caliper
- 4 inches
- Top credit tier
- 4 credits, over 16-inch caliper
- Barricade height
- At least 3 feet
- Arborist waiver distance
- 20 feet from canopy drip line
- Failure consequence
- Loss of tree credit
Summary
Sumner County requires a certified arborist-reviewed tree preservation plan before a developer can claim credit for saving existing trees toward buffer yard and landscaping requirements, and protective barricades must ring every preserved tree's critical root zone throughout construction under Sec. 1104(G).
To receive credit for existing trees, a tree preservation plan shall be submitted as part of the landscape plan. A certified arborist shall review the tree preservation plan and shall visit the site to confirm the accuracy of the tree survey...Protective barricades shall be placed around the critical root zone of all trees designated in the tree preservation plan prior to the start of development activities and shall remain in place until development activities are complete. A protection barrier or tree fence shall be installed at a minimum of 3 feet in height around the tree or tree grove that is identified to be protected.
Full Breakdown
Sumner County Zoning Resolution Sec. 1104(G) lets a developer count existing healthy trees toward the county's required buffer yard and landscaping plantings, but only if the tree is protected through a formal process. Trees 4 inches in caliper or larger earn tiered credits: 1 credit for 4 to 8 inches, 2 credits for 8 to 12 inches, 3 credits for 12 to 16 inches, and 4 credits for anything larger than 16 inches, with a boundary-straddling tree credited at half value.
To receive that credit, Sec. 1104(G)(2) requires a tree preservation plan submitted with the landscape plan: "A certified arborist shall review the tree preservation plan and shall visit the site to confirm the accuracy of the tree survey," documenting the health, survivability, and critical root zone of each protected tree or grove. The Planning Director may waive the arborist requirement only if the disturbed area sits at least 20 feet from the tree canopy's drip line and the site's existing vegetation already screens the adjacent property.
Once a tree is designated for preservation, Sec. 1104(G)(3) requires physical protection during construction: "Protective barricades shall be placed around the critical root zone of all trees...prior to the start of development activities and shall remain in place until development activities are complete." The barrier must stand at least 3 feet tall, built of material "securely fastened to a wood or metal frame properly braced by 2 by 4 inch minimum structural members with cross braces," or another county-approved substantial barrier. Inside the barricade, the Resolution bars all building materials, dirt, construction debris, vehicles, soil compaction, trenching, backfill, grading, and dumping of trash, oil, paint, or other plant-damaging materials. This preservation and protection regime applies at the site plan review stage for commercial, multi-family, and other development triggering Chapter 11 landscaping standards; it does not create a general removal permit for a homeowner cutting a tree on an existing residential lot.
Violations & Fines
Damaging a protected tree's critical root zone or removing it without following the preservation plan costs the developer the tree credit and forces the landscape plan to add new plantings to make up the difference, per Sec. 1104(G)(3)(c). Because the requirement sits inside the Chapter 11 landscaping article, any violation is also a Zoning Resolution violation under Sec. 1104(H)(5) and Sec. 1413(D), a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $50 per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to cut down a tree on my own property in Sumner County?
What protects a preserved tree during construction in Sumner County?
When can a developer skip the certified arborist review?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sumner County
Compare Sumner County to another location·View the Tennessee landscaping rules overview
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