Montgomery, AL Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

Section 12-165(a)(1) makes it unlawful to break, injure, mutilate, burn, kill, remove, destroy, cut, top, girdle or otherwise damage, including the root system of, any city tree or any private tree required by city ordinance, without first getting a permit from the urban forester. Trees larger than 12 inches at ground level in a designated historic district need separate sign-off from the architectural review board under Ordinance No. 28-2004. Hiring out pruning, cutting or removal work for profit anywhere in the city also requires its own permit from the forester under subsection (a)(9).

The city itself will not touch a tree on private property except by request, but it will remove a tree from public property under four conditions listed in Section 12-165(b): the tree is hazardous, meaning dead or with an imminent failure condition that would damage the public, public property or a utility; it creates a sight-distance problem at an intersection with no cost-effective fix short of removal; the state forestry commission recognizes it as an exotic or invasive species; or the urban forester finds its size, placement, species or disease risk adverse to public health, safety or welfare. 50 per DBH inch into the city's tree bank fund if replacement isn't practical.