Sterling Heights, MI Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Sterling Heights, MI, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Landmark tree minimum
- 100% caliper replacement
- Species cap
- No species over 25% of replacements
- Native requirement
- 50%+ Michigan-native plantings
- Alternative
- Pay into Tree Preservation Fund
- Arborist deadline
- 90-day assessment window
Summary
Anyone who removes a regulated or landmark tree under a Sterling Heights permit must replace or relocate it under a set credit schedule or pay into the Tree Preservation Fund.
(B) Replacement required. (1) If the permit holder cannot preserve the required number of trees onsite but has elected to replant the required number of trees onsite without an arborist's assessment, the following schedule shall apply: Each replacement credit represents the amount of replacement trees necessary to meet the article's replacement requirements provided herein. The permit holder shall provide one replacement credit for each regulated, non-landmark tree to be removed, as follows:
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-46: Local legislation current through Ord. 509, passed 5-19-26).
Full Breakdown
Once a tree removal permit authorizes removal of a regulated or landmark tree, the permit holder must replace or relocate it under Code of Ordinances § 51-44; replacement trees can't double as required zoning landscaping. Onsite replacement without an arborist runs on a credit schedule by size (coniferous height, deciduous d.b.h.), with one credit owed per regulated non-landmark tree removed. Landmark trees need deciduous replacements totaling at least 100% of the removed tree's diameter. A permit holder who won't replace onsite must instead pay into the city's Tree Preservation Fund, priced off the city's right-of-way planting cost.
Violations & Fines
Failing to comply exposes the permit holder to the Code § 51-48 civil penalty (tree value under the ISA shade tree formula) and possible court-ordered inch-for-inch replacement, on top of forfeiting deposit/letter-of-credit funds held under § 51-42(C)(3).
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I can't replant all the trees I remove in Sterling Heights?
How much replacement is required for a removed landmark tree?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sterling Heights
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Tree Removal & Heritage Trees in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Macomb County handle tree removal & heritage trees.