Pearland, TX Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Pearland, TX, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Governing code
- Code Ch. 29½, Art. II
- Large tree
- 19-inch circumference
- Significant tree
- 36-inch circumference
- Replacement
- Inch-for-inch or tree-trust payment
- Enforced by
- City manager / urban forester
Summary
Removing a protected or large tree in Pearland requires an approved tree disposition plan and tree survey, and every diameter inch cut must be replanted inch-for-inch on site, off site, or paid into the city's tree trust.
A sufficient number and diameter of replacement trees shall be planted in order to equal the total diameter inches or fraction thereof of trees slated for removal. If this is not feasible, the permittee must either: (1) plant and maintain off-site replacement trees, subject to the provisions of the criteria manual; or (2) provide replacement trees by means of replacement inches obtained through a tree trust, as set forth in the criteria manual.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 28).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 29½, Article II governs. No one may cut down, move, or damage a regulated tree without first submitting a tree disposition plan and tree survey to the city manager or urban forester (§ 29½-23). A 'large tree' means a 19-inch circumference; a 'significant tree' 36 inches. Protected trees include any tree in the front or side yard, the right-of-way, and every significant tree citywide. For each diameter inch removed, an equal total of replacement trees must be planted, or covered off site or through the city tree trust (§ 29½-27). Residents removing a tree on their own single-family lot are exempt, except in the Old Town Site, the floodplain, or state-designated historic sites.
Violations & Fines
Cutting or damaging a regulated tree without an approved tree disposition plan is a code violation enforced by the urban forester; unreplaced diameter inches must be covered by tree-trust payment, and denials are appealable to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Pearland homeowners need a permit to remove a tree?
How many trees must I replant after a removal?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pearland
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Pearland to another location·View the Texas landscaping rules overview
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