Coeur d'Alene, ID Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Coeur d'Alene, ID, 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
- Any removal or crown reduction of a public tree or shrub, licensee or not
- Public tree test
- 51 percent or more of the trunk at ground level on public right of way
- Permit validity
- Thirty days from the date of issuance
- Replacement
- Required unless no suitable adjacent planting spot exists
- Stump depth
- Ground to a minimum of eight inches below grade
- Added liability
- Value of the tree, under the ISA plant appraisal guide
- Decision maker
- Urban forestry coordinator, with urban forestry committee input
Summary
In the City of Coeur d'Alene, removing a public tree or shrub requires a valid permit, no matter who does the work. A person without a tree service license also needs a permit to prune or root prune a public tree. Every permit is valid for thirty days from the date of issuance.
A. It shall be unlawful for any person not a licensee to remove, prune, root prune, or crown reduce a public tree without a valid pruning permit. B. It shall be unlawful for any person, including a licensee, to remove or perform a crown reduction on any public tree or shrub without a valid permit. C. For any person or licensee, an encroachment permit pursuant to section 12.44.020 of this title is required whenever such work will impair the free and full use of any sidewalk, street or alley as determined by the city engineer or his/her designee.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 12.36 of the Coeur d'Alene Municipal Code governs trees on public land. A public tree is one with 51 percent or more of its trunk at ground level on public right of way, so a street tree that straddles the property line can fall under the chapter. Section 12.36.300 makes it unlawful to remove a public tree or shrub, or to crown reduce one, without a valid permit, and licensees are not exempt from that requirement. Section 12.36.300C adds an encroachment permit under section 12.44.020 whenever the work will impair free use of a sidewalk, street or alley, as the city engineer or a designee determines.
Applications go to the urban forestry coordinator on a form the coordinator supplies. Under section 12.36.305 the coordinator decides on criteria that include whether the tree or shrub is the wrong size or species for the spot, is in poor condition or creates a public hazard, creates a sight obstruction, sits beside a damaged street, curb or sidewalk, or interferes with utilities. Removal of a tree that does not conflict with sidewalk repair needs a recommendation from the urban forestry committee, and a nonlicensee applicant must sign an agreement approved by the city attorney that holds the city harmless. Where a tree is a hazard or conflicts with sidewalk repair and installation, the coordinator or an official designee can issue the removal permit directly. A denied applicant follows the procedure in section 12.36.245B: written notice within ten days, a written request for a hearing within ten days of receipt, and a hearing before the city council.
Removal carries follow-up duties. Section 12.36.115 requires a replacement tree or shrub unless no suitable adjacent planting spot exists, and section 12.36.125 lets the coordinator require a fee in lieu of planting, set by city council resolution and deposited in the tree replacement fund. A replacement tree needs a minimum caliper of one and one-fourth inches. Stumps must be ground to a minimum of eight inches below grade under section 12.36.430, and the person doing the work must clear debris from streets and sidewalks by sunset on the day of the work under section 12.36.110.
Violations & Fines
Any violation of chapter 12.36 is a misdemeanor under section 12.36.610, punished under section 1.28.010 by a fine of not more than $1,000, imprisonment not to exceed 180 days, or both, unless another punishment is prescribed. Each day a violation continues is a separate offense. A person who removes or crown reduces a public tree without the permit required by section 12.36.300B, or who wilfully damages or destroys one, also owes the value of the tree or shrub, appraised under the International Society Of Arboriculture Guide For Plant Appraisals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove the tree in the planting strip in front of my house?
Who approves the permit and what happens if it is denied?
Do I have to plant a replacement tree?
Do I also need an encroachment permit to take a tree down?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Coeur d'Alene
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