Palatine, IL Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

Palatine Village Code § 10-194 makes it unlawful to remove or cut down any tree in a street, parkway, or other public place without first securing a permit, with applications going to the public works director for approval before the work is permitted; where space allows, removed trees must be replaced on a one-for-one basis. That removal permit governs publicly owned trees rather than ordinary trees on a resident's own lot, since the village's tree article otherwise reaches private property only for trees that constitute a hazard or threat.

For that hazard category, § 10-198 places an affirmative removal duty on private property owners: any owner or person in possession or control of property must remove dead, dying, or dangerous trees or limbs that are dangerous to life, limb, or property within 30 days of written notice from the public works director, sent by mail to the owner or the person in possession or control of the property. Read together, a resident does not need a village permit to take down a healthy tree on their own private lot, but does need a permit to remove a public street or parkway tree, and can be ordered to remove a hazardous private tree on 30 days' notice.

Section 10-209 backs both duties with a per-tree penalty: each tree removed, damaged, or destroyed in violation of the article is its own separate offense.