Tree removal permit rules in South Bend, IN — sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances — list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Remove trees inside your own yard without a city permit. Removing a tree in the tree lawn, the strip between curb and sidewalk, requires a free Section 19-17 permit and City Forester approval before the tree comes down.
Trees standing on private property within your yard may be removed without city approval, so a homeowner can clear even a large backyard oak. The public tree lawn is regulated. Under Chapter 19, Section 19-17, a permit from the Forestry office is required before removing a tree-lawn tree, and the City Forester evaluates whether removal is warranted. Permits are free and valid one year. South Bend is a Tree City USA pursuing 40% urban canopy coverage by 2050, up from about 26% today, and plans to plant 100,000 trees by then, so Forestry favors preserving healthy public trees. Riverfront lots that disturb a regulated wetland or streambank can trigger separate state or federal permitting.
No penalty for removing your own yard trees. Taking down a tree-lawn tree without the Section 19-17 permit violates city code. Disturbing a regulated riverfront wetland can draw separate state or federal enforcement.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how South Bend's tree removal & heritage trees rules stack up against other locations.
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