Rochester Hills, MI Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Rochester Hills, MI, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- Regulated tree, 6+ inches dbh
- Enforcing agency
- Parks and Natural Resources Dept.
- First-violation fine
- $70.00 (Sec. 66-37)
- Repeat-violation fine
- $500.00 second/subsequent repeat
- Minimum preservation
- 40% of regulated trees on site
- Permit duration
- 1 year or site plan life
- Appeal window
- 10 calendar days to city council
Summary
Rochester Hills requires a tree removal permit before anyone removes, transplants, damages or destroys a regulated tree, one measuring six inches or greater in diameter at breast height, on land within the city. The Parks and Natural Resources Department or the Planning and Economic Development Department reviews applications depending on whether a site plan is involved, and unpermitted removal draws a municipal civil infraction fine plus a separate tree-value fee or replacement obligation.
(a)Regulated tree removal. Subject to the exceptions in section 126-266, a tree removal permit is required for the removal or relocation of any regulated tree.
Full Breakdown
Under Chapter 126, Article III of the Code of Ordinances, a tree removal permit is required citywide before cutting, transplanting, damaging or destroying any regulated tree of six inches dbh or greater, except for eight enumerated exceptions in Section 126-266: agricultural or nursery/tree-farm operations, emergency actions after storms or infestation, right-of-way work by the city, county road commission or MDOT, utility installation and maintenance, removal of dead or terminally diseased trees the parks department concurs must come down, nominal removal of three or fewer regulated trees in six months unrelated to development, removal on occupied one-family lots under one acre, and accessory-structure work on occupied one-family lots of one acre or more.
Landmark trees are excluded from most of these exceptions. Applications go to the Planning and Economic Development Department when tied to a site plan, plat or condominium review, or otherwise to the Parks and Natural Resources Department, and must include a tree survey at a minimum scale of one inch to 100 feet showing every regulated, specimen and landmark tree by diameter and species. Developments must preserve at least 40 percent of the regulated trees on the site before development, excluding trees inside designated building envelopes.
Permits run for one year or the life of the related site plan or plat, whichever is shorter, and a denial can be appealed to the city council within ten calendar days.
Violations & Fines
Violating this article is a municipal civil infraction under Section 126-265, fined per the city's schedule keyed to Section 126-266 at $70.00 for a first violation, $150.00 for a first repeat, and $500.00 for a second or subsequent repeat, plus costs. Beyond the fine, anyone who removes a tree without a permit forfeits to the city tree fund a civil fee equal to the tree's value under International Society of Arboriculture standards, or must replace it inch-for-inch, and the city can issue a stop-work order until the article is satisfied.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in my Rochester Hills yard?
What trees are exempt from Rochester Hills tree removal permits?
What happens if I cut down a protected tree without a permit in Rochester Hills?
Who reviews a tree removal permit application in Rochester Hills?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rochester Hills
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Tree Removal & Heritage Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Oakland County handle tree removal & heritage trees.