Rockville, MD Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Rockville, MD, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Replacement ratio
- 2 trees per tree not provided
- Base requirement
- 1 tree per 2,000 sq ft, max 3
- Applies to
- Residential subdivision lots
- Approval authority
- City's Approving Authority
Summary
Rockville subdivision applicants who cannot fit the required number of lot trees must plant two replacement trees elsewhere in the subdivision for each tree not provided, under the City's Zoning Ordinance.
An applicant must provide at least one tree on each residential lot per 2,000
square feet or fraction thereof of lot area. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an applicant
must not be required to plant more than three trees under this Section. Existing trees on a
lot, if properly preserved, count towards this requirement. The Approving Authority may
approve a lot with fewer than the minimum required number of trees if it finds that:
(1) The lot does not contain sufficient unencumbered area to provide a planting area
consistent with best industry practices established by the International Society of
Arboriculture for each required tree;
(2) For each required tree that is not provided on the lot, two replacement trees are
provided on a common area or other lot within the proposed subdivision; and
(3) Reduction of the required trees on the lot and provision of the replacement trees will
provide equal or greater aesthetic value to the subdivision and are compatible with the
character of the surrounding neighborhood.
(c) Planting requirements. The species, location, and method of planting of trees required by
Sec. 25.12.5.8(b) must be consistent with a landscaping detail submitted by the applicant
and approved by the designated staff member. The landscaping detail must demonstrate
the following:
Full Breakdown
When platting a residential subdivision in the City of Rockville, applicants must provide at least one tree per 2,000 square feet of lot area on each lot (capped at three trees per lot; preserved existing trees count). The Approving Authority may allow fewer trees on a lot only if, for every tree not provided, two replacement trees are planted on a common area or other lot within the same subdivision, and the reduction still yields equal or greater aesthetic value consistent with the neighborhood's character. This is a Mayor-and-Council-adopted Zoning Ordinance requirement administered through subdivision review, not a citywide removal-permit ordinance.
Violations & Fines
A subdivision plat that does not meet the tree-provision or 2:1 replacement standard is not approved by the Approving Authority; the plat cannot record until it complies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rockville require replacing trees when a subdivision lot falls short?
Is this the same as Rockville's general tree-removal permit rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rockville
Compare Rockville to another location·View the Maryland landscaping rules overview
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Tree Removal & Heritage Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Montgomery County handle tree removal & heritage trees.