Tree removal permit rules in York County, PA — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
York County does not require a permit to remove a tree on private property; tree-removal ordinances, if any, are set by your borough or township. Removing trees in York County Parks is prohibited without the Director's written permission.
Cutting down a tree on your own land in York County is not regulated by the county. In Pennsylvania, any protected-tree or removal-permit rule is a matter of local ordinance under the Municipalities Planning Code, so whether you need approval depends on your borough, the City of York, or your township, plus any HOA or recorded easement. Land clearing for construction is a separate matter: earth disturbance triggers erosion-and-sediment-control review by the York County Conservation District (see 25 Pa Code Chapter 102). The one clear county rule is on county land, where the York County Parks and Recreation Rules and Regulations (Chapter 75, § 75-9) prohibit any person from cutting, removing, or destroying any tree, sapling, seedling, bush, or shrub,
Removing a tree on your own private property carries no county penalty (verify local and HOA rules). Removing or destroying trees in a York County park violates Chapter 75 § 75-9 and is prosecuted as a summary offense with fines,
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how York County's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
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