Kalamazoo, MI Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

City Code § 42-6C, Tree removal, reserves the right to remove a City tree or street tree, meaning any tree planted or growing on City-owned or maintained property or located in a street right-of-way or curblawn, to the City or its agent. Anyone else who wants a City or street tree removed must first obtain a permit from the Public Works Department, and even then the ordinance allows removal for only a short list of enumerated reasons, starting with a tree that is at least 90% dead, one that is a public hazard, one that is diseased, or trees planted too closely together.

Two express limits narrow removal further: a tree whose roots are lifting a sidewalk or driveway may not be removed unless relocating the sidewalk or cutting and removing the roots cannot fix the problem, and any contractor doing that root work must give the Director of Public Works 15 days' notice before starting; street trees also cannot be removed just to install a new driveway without a separate Public Works permit. Separately, a tree may never be removed for the sole reason that its roots are clogging a sewer line.

Removal permits themselves come from § 42-7A, which requires anyone other than the City or its agent to get a Public Works Department permit before planting, removing, trimming, spraying or performing tree surgery on any curblawn, street right-of-way or public place. Removing a City or street tree without following § 42-6C and § 42-7, or outside the listed grounds, exposes the responsible party to Chapter 42's general enforcement authority, which brings fines, costs and citation by appearance ticket.