Gary, IN Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

Chapter 44's Division 3 covers trees on both public and private property within Gary's rights-of-way. Section 44-48 gives the department of public parks continuing authority to adopt and enforce rules for trimming, removing, planting and protecting trees, shrubs, vines, hedges, flowers and plants located within any public street, alley, thoroughfare or lawn in the city, and to set permit terms for that work. Section 44-49 then makes the permit mandatory: no one may trim, remove, plant, injure or destroy any tree, shrub, vine, flower or plant within a public street, alley, thoroughfare, lawn, park, parkway or boulevard without first getting written permission from the department.

The removal duty runs the other way too. Section 44-50 declares stumps and dead or beyond-repair diseased trees along any street unlawful, and gives the owner of the abutting real estate ten days after notice from the department to remove them. Section 44-51 lets the department require an owner or occupant to remove or trim any dead, unsightly or dangerous tree, or one projecting over the street to ten feet or less, after ten days' notice served on the owner or occupant. If the owner does not act, Section 44-53 authorizes the department, the superintendent of parks or the street commissioner to enter the property, remove the obstruction or vegetation at the city's own hands, and certify the cost to the county treasurer, who places it on the property's tax duplicate and collects it as a city tax. Section 44-54 separately makes it unlawful for any owner to interfere with parks department employees carrying out this work.