Springfield, IL Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

Springfield requires a permit before anyone removes, injures, or otherwise damages a tree, shrub, or other plant growing on public property, meaning city-owned land or land dedicated to public use such as street parkways and easements. Sec. 102.40(a) makes it unlawful to remove or cause death, substantial damage, or a hazard to a public tree without first applying for and receiving a tree permit from the city arborist; Sec. 102.40(b) confirms the permit must be issued before work begins, not after the fact. The section adopts the Arboricultural Specifications Manual, prepared by the arborist under Sec. 102.02, as the standard of care governing planting, maintenance, and removal citywide.

Construction and site-improvement projects near public trees trigger an extra step: the responsible party must get a tree protection plan approved by the city arborist under Sec. 102.40(d), with the trees to be saved or removed clearly marked on both the plan and the job site itself, before grading or construction can proceed. When a public tree is removed, the replacement must come from the desirable-species list in Appendices A, B, or C of the Arboricultural Specifications Manual, sized appropriately for the planting space, under Sec. 102.40(e); a tree that's damaged rather than removed must be remediated, and the city can recover its removal or remediation costs from the responsible party.

This permit requirement covers only public property trees; private trees on a homeowner's own lot aren't governed by Chapter 102's permit rule. The ten-member Urban Forestry Commission established by Sec. 102.10 advises the arborist on amendments to the tree ordinance and the specifications manual, and the arborist administers permits under this chapter.