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

Muncie City Code § 97.07(A) makes it a violation to 'plant, prune or remove a city or street tree without first obtaining permission from the Urban Forester, or his or her designee,' the city forestry official who reports to the Muncie Parks and Recreation Department. Section 97.09(A) then governs the mechanics of an approved removal, requiring that it be 'conducted in accordance with the tree manual adopted by the urban forestry committee,' a copy of which is kept for inspection at the parks and recreation department rather than printed in the code.

Section 97.09(B) separately requires every stump left on city property or in the city right-of-way to be ground or cut 'below ground surface level to a minimum depth of six inches.' A related provision, § 97.11(A), makes it a violation to damage, cut, or destroy a city or street tree without the Urban Forester's approval and can charge a violator the tree's value as set by the city's insurance carrier, while § 97.11(B) requires anyone building or doing construction near a city tree to take precautions and follow the Urban Forester's protective directives.

Work performed for hire also requires the contractor to hold an annual arborist's license issued under § 97.05, backed by ISA certification or equivalent training and $1,000,000.00 in liability coverage. An owner who disagrees with a removal decision can appeal to the Urban Forestry Committee under § 97.13(D).