Tree removal permit rules in Oakland County, MI — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
There is no Oakland County-wide tree-removal ordinance. Tree-protection rules are set by individual municipalities. Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, West Bloomfield, Birmingham, Rochester Hills, Novi, and Oakland Charter Township each require permits before removing landmark, heritage, or specimen trees (typically 6-10 inch diameter at breast height or larger). Many require replacement at 1:1 to 3:1 ratios or payment into a tree-replacement fund.
Within Oakland County, Charter Township of Oakland (in north Oakland County, Rochester ZIP) requires a Tree Removal Permit before removing regulated trees on undeveloped or developing parcels. Bloomfield Township regulates removal of trees 8 inches DBH or larger. Rochester Hills regulates removal of 'regulated trees' on residential and commercial sites with replacement requirements. Routine homeowner removal of small, hazardous, or diseased trees is generally exempt; emergency removal after storm damage is usually allowed but must be reported. Trees in road rights-of-way fall under RCOC or MDOT jurisdiction. The county Water Resources Commissioner's RainSmart Rebates program pays $250 per native tree planted (up to 2 trees per property) in eligible southeast Oakland County communities, incentivizing replacement of removed canopy.
Removing a regulated tree without a permit typically carries civil infractions of $100-$500 per tree plus replacement costs at the regulated diameter. Bloomfield Township and similar communities may require replacement at 1:1 to 3:1 caliper inches. Continuing violations may be charged separately each day.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Oakland County's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
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