Tree removal permit rules in Lynn, MA — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Removing a tree standing entirely on your own Lynn property requires no city permit — Lynn has no private-tree ordinance. But public shade trees in or along any public way cannot be removed except by the tree warden, only by written permit after a public hearing under MGL c.87.
Lynn has not adopted a local ordinance regulating removal of trees on private property, so a homeowner may remove a tree wholly on their own land without a city permit. The binding rule covers public trees. Under MGL c.87 §3, any tree within or on the boundary of a public way is a public shade tree, and it cannot be cut down or removed except by the tree warden — and never without a written permit and a public hearing, with notice posted on the tree and in two public places at least seven days ahead. Lynn's tree warden sits in the Department of Public Works, supported by the city's urban forestry program.
Removing a public shade tree without the tree warden's written permit and a public hearing violates MGL c.87 §3, exposing the violator to fines under c.87 §6 and liability for the tree's value. Private-yard removal carries no city penalty.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Lynn's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
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