Dothan, AL Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Dothan, AL, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- DBH trigger
- 12 inches or greater in protection areas
- Governing section
- City Code § 114-237(b)
- Reviewing body
- Dothan Planning Commission
- Penalty class
- Class C misdemeanor, § 114-236(b)(1)
- Exempt use
- Silviculture on A-C zoned land
- Enforcement power
- Stop-work orders and citations
Summary
In the City of Dothan, no tree of 12 inches or greater DBH may be removed from a tree protection area, and no tree may be cleared from a residential buffer, without an approved tree removal plan, City Code § 114-237(b). The planning commission reviews these plans under article V, and violations of the landscaping article are a class C misdemeanor.
(a)Tree preservation.(1)Forestry activity (silviculture). Harvesting trees being cultivated for forestry purposes from A-C zoned property shall be permitted as an agricultural activity.(2)Forestry activity (non-silviculture). No trees, including non-protected trees or other vegetation, shall be removed from any residential buffer, except on A-C zoned property, prior to the issuing of a building permit or the approval of a tree removal plan. ... (b)Tree removal.(1)No tree, including non-protected trees or other vegetation, shall be removed from the residential buffer on any lot or parcel unless the property is zoned A-C or a tree removal plan has been approved in accordance with article V, development plans, of this code.(2)No tree of 12 inches or greater DBH, including non-protected trees, shall be removed from the portion of the tree protection area on any lot or parcel unless the property is zoned A-C or a tree removal plan has been approved in accordance with article V, development plans, of this code.
Full Breakdown
Article XIII of chapter 114 protects trees during development. Section 114-237(a) exempts commercial forestry harvesting on A-C zoned property from the removal rules, but subsection (a)(2) bars removing any tree or other vegetation from a residential buffer, on non-A-C land, before a building permit issues or a tree removal plan is approved. Subsection (b) sets the core removal standards: no tree, protected or not, may leave a residential buffer without an approved plan, and no tree of 12 inches or greater diameter at breast height (DBH) may be removed from a tree protection area unless the parcel is zoned A-C or a tree removal plan has been approved under article V, development plans.
Non-protected trees in the core area of a lot may be cleared freely, but a protected tree in the core area still needs an approved plan. Section 114-237(c) requires the plan to include a scaled map of buffers and protection areas, an inventory of every tree 12 inches DBH or greater by location, size and species, a list of trees proposed for removal, adjoining owners' names and addresses, and a replanting plan. The planning commission reviews tree removal plans the same way it reviews major development plans, though staff may approve plans tied to minor development plans under section 114-76.
Section 114-237(a)(4) lists exceptions, letting a hazard tree, a sight-obstruction tree, a disease-harboring tree, or a tree blocking required public infrastructure come down without the full plan process, and lets a single-family lot in R-1 through R-4 with three or fewer attached units clear trees once its home is built or permitted.
Violations & Fines
Section 114-236(b)(1) makes any violation of the landscaping article, including unpermitted tree removal, a class C misdemeanor punishable as such, and planning and development department staff are authorized to issue stop-work orders and citations. Removing a right-of-way or easement tree of eight inches or greater DBH outside an approved plan is separately punishable under the Code's general penalty, § 1-4.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a large tree in Dothan?
What must a tree removal plan show?
What happens if I remove a protected tree without approval?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dothan
Compare Dothan to another location·View the Alabama landscaping rules overview
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