Sammamish, WA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Sammamish, WA, 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-exempt size
- Conifer under 8 in. / deciduous under 12 in. DBH
- Unlawful removal penalty
- $1,500 per inch of DBH
- Replacement ratio
- 4-8 trees depending on size removed
- Shoreline retention
- 80% of significant trees at Pine/Beaver Lakes
- Governing permit section
- SMC 16.15.050
Summary
Sammamish requires a clearing and grading permit to remove trees above a set size: cutting a conifer under 8 inches DBH or a deciduous tree under 12 inches DBH is exempt, but larger or protected trees need a permit and unlawful removal draws a $1,500-per-inch civil penalty plus mandatory replacement.
For development or clearing and grading activity located outside of critical areas and associated regulatory buffers as defined by SMC 21.03.020, no person shall do any clearing or grading without first having obtained a clearing and grading permit except for the following, if associated with an approved land use: ... (8) The cutting and removal of any coniferous tree of less than eight inches DBH or any deciduous tree of less than 12 inches DBH;
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance O2026-598, and legislation passed through August 18, 2026).
Full Breakdown
SMC 16.15.050 requires a clearing and grading permit for tree removal outside a short list of exemptions. Subsection (8) draws the line by trunk size: exempt from the permit requirement is 'the cutting and removal of any coniferous tree of less than eight inches DBH or any deciduous tree of less than 12 inches DBH.' Trees at or above those thresholds, and any tree tied to critical areas or their buffers under SMC 21.03.020, require a permit; the chapter also exempts routine pruning and limbing 'outside of environmentally critical areas and buffers, consistent with the requirements of SMC 21.03.060' and removal of 'dangerous and/or damaged trees, in accordance with SMC 21.03.060.' Violating the underlying tree code carries its own penalty track.
SMC 23.100.010(7) states that 'any person responsible for damage to or removal of a tree in violation of SDC 21.03.060 shall be jointly and severally liable for mitigation as described in SMC 23.100.015 and shall pay a civil penalty of $1,500 per inch of diameter at breast height of tree removed or damaged.' SMC 23.100.015 layers on a replacement obligation measured by trunk size: a removed or damaged tree between 8 and 12 inches DBH must be replaced with four trees, one between 12 and 16 inches DBH with six trees, and one 16 inches DBH or larger with eight trees; if only a stump remains, the stump's top diameter stands in for the removed tree's DBH.
On the Pine Lake and Beaver Lake shorelines, SMC 25.06.020(12) adds a retention floor inside shoreline jurisdiction: 'Eighty percent of the significant trees within the shoreline jurisdiction must be retained,' with an exception only for documented hazard trees.
Violations & Fines
Unlawful tree removal draws a civil penalty of $1,500 per inch of DBH of the tree removed or damaged under SMC 23.100.010(7), plus mandatory replacement under SMC 23.100.015 (four to eight replacement trees depending on the removed tree's size), with the responsible party jointly and severally liable for both. Clearing without the required permit can separately trigger the general infraction penalty of up to $1,000 under SMC 23.100.010.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cut down a small tree in my Sammamish yard without a permit?
What's the penalty for illegally cutting down a protected tree in Sammamish?
Are there special tree rules near Pine Lake and Beaver Lake?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sammamish
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Tree Removal & Heritage Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle tree removal & heritage trees.