Suffolk, VA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Suffolk, VA, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Canopy After 10 Yrs
- 10%–20% by zoning
- Low-Density Residential
- 20% canopy
- Preserved Wooded Area
- 1.25x credit
- Code
- UDO Sec. 31-603
- State Grant
- Va. Code § 15.2-961
Summary
Suffolk site plans must plant or replace trees so canopy reaches at least 10% to 20% ten years after planting, scaled by zoning. Retained trees that die or are removed during construction must be replaced, and preserved wooded area earns 1.25x canopy credit.
The landscape plan shall include the planting and/or replacement of trees on site to the extent that, after ten years from the date of planting, tree canopies shall be at least: A. Ten percent (10%) tree canopy for a site zoned office, business or industrial; B. Ten percent (10%) tree canopy for a residential site zoned twenty (20) or more units per acre; C. Fifteen percent (15%) tree canopy for a residential site zoned more than ten, but less than twenty units per acre; and D. Twenty percent (20%) tree canopy for a residential site zoned ten (10) units or less per acre.
Full Breakdown
Under UDO Sec. 31-603, landscape plans for major subdivisions and commercial, office, and industrial sites must plant or replace trees so that after ten years the tree canopy is at least 10% (office/business/industrial, or residential at 20+ units/acre), 15% (residential over 10 but under 20 units/acre), or 20% (residential at 10 units/acre or fewer). Existing plant material over five feet tall can count toward canopy, with preserved undisturbed wooded area credited at 1.25 times its area. Retained trees must be protected during construction, and any vegetation removed before, during, or after construction has to be replaced to the ordinance minimums. This implements Virginia's tree-replacement grant, Va. Code § 15.2-961.
Violations & Fines
Failing to install or replace required canopy plantings, or losing protected trees without replacement, blocks final site-plan/inspection approval and requires corrective replanting to the UDO minimum standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much tree canopy does Suffolk require?
Do I have to replace trees I remove?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Suffolk
Compare Suffolk to another location·View the Virginia landscaping rules overview
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