Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

Article I of Chapter 392 of the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Code regulates tree cutting on any lands in the Township, in Morris County, New Jersey. The Township Council adopted it on the finding in § 392-1 that indiscriminate and excessive cutting of trees increases surface drainage and soil erosion, decreases soil fertility, creates dust and mosquito breeding places, and impairs the stability and value of real estate.

The trigger in § 392-2 is a count, a size and a time window: five or more live trees exceeding three inches in diameter, measured at a point one foot above the ground, within any year. Because the window is a year, cutting done in separate stages still counts toward the same total.

Anyone who wants to remove that many trees files an application with the Superintendent of Parks and Forestry on the form the Township provides. Under § 392-3 the application must identify the lot or tract of land, state the name and address of the owner, tenant or duly authorized agent, and show the location of the trees to be destroyed or removed.

Section 392-4 limits what the enforcing officer can approve. Approval is available where the trees' presence would cause hardship or endanger the public or an adjoining property owner; in areas to be occupied by buildings, driveways or recreation areas and within 25 feet around the perimeter of buildings, depending on tree species and condition; where a cut or fill of land is deemed injurious or dangerous to the trees; and where removal is selective and consistent with the public interest, including thinning of a heavily wooded area at the enforcing officer's discretion.

Protection during the work is separate. Section 392-5 bars material or temporary soil deposits within six feet of any existing tree trunk, and bars mechanical equipment weighing in excess of two tons from operating within six feet of any tree.

Stumps are covered in Article II. Section 392-8 prohibits burying tree stumps or removal debris, § 392-9 requires each stump to go to an authorized wood recycling center, and § 392-10 requires manifests or receipts to be submitted to the Division of Recycling and Sanitation before any certificate of occupancy or final site plan approval issues. Section 392-11 exempts single-family dwellings where the owner removes fewer than four trees, and developers who recycle stumps on-site, from the § 392-10 paperwork.