Tree removal permit rules in Philadelphia, PA — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Under Philadelphia Code Section 14-705(1)(e), heritage trees on a development lot may not be removed unless the applicant replaces them per the tree-replacement standards or obtains a Zoning Board special exception. Healthy trees 2.5-inch DBH or larger removed during development generally must be replaced so the total caliper of replacements equals the total caliper removed.
Beyond the street-tree permit system, Philadelphia protects on-site trees during development under Section 14-705(1) of the Zoning Code, as implemented in the Department of Licenses and Inspections landscape regulations. The location, DBH (diameter at breast height), and species of all existing trees must be shown on the landscape and tree plan. Heritage trees may not be removed from any property unless the applicant either meets the replacement standards of Section 14-705(1)(f) (and the lot/condition criteria), or obtains a special exception from the Zoning Board, which is granted only if the applicant replaces the heritage tree, satisfies the Section 14-303(7) special-exception criteria, and shows the development cannot practically be redesigned to protect the tree. For ordinary trees, all healthy trees of 2.5-inch DBH or larger that are removed, damaged, or destroyed by development activities must be replaced on the same or an abutting lot, and the total caliper of all replacement trees must be no less than the total caliper of all trees removed. Exemptions exist where a certified arborist determines the tree is dead, damaged, diseased, an undesirable species in its location, or a danger to life or property. Applicants who preserve mature healthy trees (at least 5-inch DBH) can earn tree-preservation credits under Table 14-705-2. These tree-replacement and development-activity rules are separate from, and in addition to, the street-tree permit requirements administered by Parks & Recreation.
A zoning permit application that proposes to remove protected or heritage trees without meeting the replacement, exemption, or special-exception requirements will not receive the Planning Commission's prerequisite approval and cannot be issued by L&I. Preserved trees for which credit was awarded that are lost to damage or disease within two years must be replaced by the land owner with the trees otherwise required.
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