Eden Prairie, MN Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Eden Prairie, MN, 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-free threshold
- Under 10% of significant trees / 5 yrs
- Residential minimum
- 1 significant tree regardless of %
- Significant Tree size
- 12in+ deciduous, 8in+ coniferous
- Enforcing office
- City Engineer / City Forester
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor under § 11.99
Summary
In the City of Eden Prairie, tree removal counts as Land Alteration and needs a City permit unless it stays under a 10% threshold; residential lots may also remove one Significant Tree every five years regardless of the percentage, per City Code § 11.55.
Permit Required. ... Except as hereafter provided, it is unlawful for any person to use Land for, or to engage directly or indirectly in, Land Alteration unless such person shall first have applied to and obtained from the City, in the manner hereinafter provided, a Permit authorizing the same. ... Land Alteration means any land disturbing activity, including: excavating, grading, digging, cutting, scraping, clearing; removal of trees, filling or other change or movement of earth which may result in diversion of a man-made or natural water course or Erosion of Sediments. ... For all lots except residential lots, the cutting, removal or killing of less than ten percent (10%) of the Significant Trees on any Land within a period of five (5) years. For residential lots, the cutting, removal or killing of less than ten percent (10%) of the Significant Trees or one (1) Significant Tree, whichever is greater, on any land within a period of five (5) years.
Full Breakdown
Section 11.55, Subd. 2 defines Land Alteration to include 'removal of trees,' so Subd. 3.A's general rule, that it is unlawful to engage in Land Alteration without first obtaining a City permit, reaches tree cutting on any Land in Eden Prairie. Subd. 3.C.3 then carves out an exemption: on non-residential lots, cutting, removing, or killing less than 10% of the Significant Trees on the land within any five-year period needs no permit; on residential lots, the exemption is 10% of Significant Trees or one Significant Tree, whichever is greater.
A Significant Tree is any living deciduous tree, other than elm, willow, box elder or aspen, at least twelve inches in diameter, or a coniferous tree at least eight inches in diameter (Subd. 2). Removal above the exemption threshold, or removal tied to a final plat, subdivision, PUD or site plan application, triggers the Tree Replacement Plan requirements of Subd. 4, which require a certified Tree Inventory identifying every Significant and Heritage Tree on the site and a replacement calculation using the formula in Subd.
4.C.1. Single-family lots under 22,000 square feet and property in the TOD and TC zoning districts are exempt from the replacement requirement, though the underlying Land Alteration permit rule can still apply. Financial security equal to 150% of the estimated planting cost secures the replacement obligation (Subd. 12.B).
Violations & Fines
Removing trees without the required Land Alteration Permit, or beyond the exempt percentage, is a violation of Chapter 11 and punishable as a misdemeanor under Section 11.99. The City Engineer may also require immediate replacement planting under the Subd. 4 formula and draw on the Permittee's financial security to cover the cost of unauthorized removal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to cut down a tree in Eden Prairie?
What counts as a Significant Tree in Eden Prairie?
Is tree replacement required after removal?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Eden Prairie
Compare Eden Prairie to another location·View the Minnesota landscaping rules overview
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Tree Removal & Heritage Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Hennepin County handle tree removal & heritage trees.