Union, NY Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

Two chapters of the Town of Union Code govern tree removal, and they split on who owns the tree. Section 188-6 covers trees on Town property: it is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to harvest, remove, or cause the removal of a Town tree on public property without written permission of the Commissioner of Public Works and Highway Superintendent, or their designees. A public tree is any tree on Town-owned property under § 188-2, and § 188-3 gives those two officials authority to plant, prune, maintain and remove trees in public property, the perimeter strip and municipal street rights-of-way.

Chapter 187A covers cutting on other land. It defines Tree Cutting as the cutting or trimming of one or less acres of trees, including saplings, for general maintenance on residential properties, not for commercial sale or harvesting. Under § 187A-3.1 no permit is required for Tree Cutting on a residential property for maintenance or lot improvement conducted at the direction or oversight of the owner, and the exemption also covers public utilities and their contractors. Timber Harvesting is different. It means the cutting and removal of trees for monetary or economic purposes, including commercial logging, construction and clearing land, and it includes Tree Cutting on more than one acre.

A Timber Harvesting permit under § 187A-3 is valid for 12 months, and each operation or parcel needs its own. The fee in § 187A-4 is $100 per acre, not to exceed a total of $1,000, with the same fee for renewals. Applicants must certify a bond under § 187A-5 in an amount the Commissioner of Public Works sets. The Town reserves the right to reject an application that would create unsafe or adverse drainage conditions for adjoining properties. An extension runs no more than an additional six months, requests are due in writing at least 30 days before the permit ends, and total time cannot exceed 18 months.

Hours apply to both categories: neither Tree Cutting nor Timber Harvesting can be conducted before sunrise or 7:00 a.m., whichever is earliest, or after sunset or 8:00 p.m., whichever is earliest. Under § 187A-6, waste, trimmings, branches and ruts must be cleaned up and the land reclaimed, with other debris disposed of according to Chapter 130. When active Timber Harvesting work stops for 14 or more consecutive days, § 187A-9 lets the Town decide whether to close or stabilize the site at the operator's and owner's expense.