Springfield, OR Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Springfield, OR, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Threshold
- More than 5 trees, 5-inch DBH+, per 12 months
- Minimum lot size
- 10,000 square feet under common ownership
- Review type
- Type 2 procedure
- Decision maker
- Director, consulting the Fire Chief
- Extra study required
- Forester/hydrologist for parcels over 10 acres
- Enforcement tool
- Surety bond guarantees permit conditions
- Citation
- SDC Article 5.19.100, §§ 5.19.105-5.19.130
Summary
In the City of Springfield, Oregon, felling more than 5 trees of 5-inch DBH or larger within any 12-month period on a private lot of 10,000 square feet or more requires a Tree Felling Permit under Springfield Development Code Article 5.19.100. Development and Public Works reviews the application through a Type 2 procedure, with narrow exceptions for hazard abatement, utility work and vision-clearance trimming.
A Tree Felling Permit shall be required prior to the felling of more than 5 trees 5-inch dbh (diameter at breast height) or larger within a period of 12 consecutive months from a lot/parcel of private property under common ownership consisting of 10,000 square feet or more of total area. ... A Tree Felling Permit shall be reviewed under Type 2 procedure and/or in conjunction with a related development plan. ... The Director or the Public Works Director may require the applicant to provide the services of a professional forester (approved by the City), licensed hydrologist or licensed landscape architect in order to address the standards in SDC 5.19.125 for undeveloped property greater than 10 acres in size of 15 percent slope or above an elevation of 670 feet. ... Failure to comply with a condition of a Tree Felling Permit within the designated time is a violation of this section.
Full Breakdown
Springfield Development Code Article 5.19.100 requires a Tree Felling Permit before felling more than 5 trees measuring 5 inches or larger in diameter at breast height within any 12 consecutive months on a privately owned lot of 10,000 square feet or more under common ownership, per SDC § 5.19.110(A). Section 5.19.110(B) exempts felling needed to remove an immediate danger to life or property, work to install or maintain streets and sewers within accepted rights-of-way or easements, trees obstructing vision clearance at intersections under SDC 4.2.130, and removals already covered by a tree protection plan tied to an approved Subdivision or Partition.
The Development and Public Works Department reviews applications under a Type 2 procedure, often alongside a related development plan, per SDC § 5.19.115. Applicants must submit their name, address and phone number, the tree species, the reason for felling, a Plot Plan showing tree locations and sizes, the removal method and hauling route, and a Vegetation and Re-vegetation Report addressing the SDC § 5.19.125 criteria, per § 5.19.120(A)-(B). For undeveloped parcels larger than 10 acres with slopes above 15 percent or elevations above 670 feet, § 5.19.120(C) lets the Director require a professional forester, licensed hydrologist or licensed landscape architect.
The Director decides in consultation with the Fire Chief, weighing hazard conditions, consistency with Metro Plan policies and the State Forestry Practices Rules field guide, retention of wooded ridgelines and riparian buffers, adequacy of proposed replanting, fire risk from slash left on site, and disruption to neighbors from equipment transport, per § 5.19.125. Approved permits can carry conditions including a replacement or revegetation timeline and a surety bond under § 5.19.130.
Violations & Fines
SDC § 5.19.130(B) lets the Director require a surety bond to guarantee that permit conditions are met and to insure against damage to City facilities. Under § 5.19.130(C), failing to satisfy a Tree Felling Permit condition within its designated time is itself declared a violation of the section, exposing the bond and the permit to enforcement action by Development and Public Works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a few trees on my Springfield property?
Are there exceptions to the Springfield Tree Felling Permit?
What must I submit with a Springfield Tree Felling Permit application?
What happens if I violate a Springfield tree permit condition?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Springfield
Compare Springfield to another location·View the Oregon landscaping rules overview
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Tree Removal & Heritage Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle tree removal & heritage trees.