Washington County, MN Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in Washington County, MN, sometimes called heritage tree, protected tree, or street tree ordinances, list which trees require a permit before you can cut them down.
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- 20,000 sq ft or more of contiguous land clearing
- Permit type
- Certificate of Compliance
- Prohibited areas
- Slopes over 25%, wooded floodplains, wetlands, stream corridors
- Restoration minimum
- 4 inches of topsoil plus approved seed mix
- Enforcement
- Misdemeanor; each day is a separate offense
- Effective date
- June 5, 2018
Summary
Washington County requires a Certificate of Compliance before clearing 20,000 square feet or more of trees and other woody plants in any 12-month period. Clearing tied to a permitted building project, activity under 20,000 square feet, or land within a finally platted subdivision needs no permit. Removing trees on slopes steeper than 25 percent, in wooded floodplains, wooded wetlands, or stream corridors is banned outright.
(1) Required Permit: Certificate of Compliance. Land clearing of twenty thousand (20,000) square feet or more is permitted provided that a Certificate of Compliance is issued. A permit is not required for clearing trees and other woody plants in an area less than twenty thousand (20,000) square feet, for clearing activities associated with a construction project provided a building permit is issued and there is minimal amount of clearing, and subdivisions that have received final plat approval. ... (3) Performance Standards. Land clearing shall comply with the following: (A) Removal of trees located on slopes greater than twenty five (25) percent, in wooded floodplains, in wooded wetlands, and in stream corridors is prohibited.
Full Breakdown
7) defines land clearing as removal of a contiguous group of trees and other woody plants covering 20,000 square feet or more within any 12-month period. Any clearing at or above that threshold requires a Certificate of Compliance issued before work begins; the code exempts clearing under 20,000 square feet, minimal clearing tied to a construction project that already has a building permit, and subdivisions with final plat approval. Cleared land within the Shoreland Management Overlay District or the St. Croix River Management Overlay District faces the additional standards of Chapter Six and Chapter Five.
Performance standards require erosion and siltation controls coordinated with each stage of clearing, land cleared in workable increments so the smallest practical area is exposed at any time, and construction fencing may be required around the cleared perimeter. Every permit must include a restoration plan: disturbed areas are restored at project completion with at least 4 inches of topsoil, seeded with a mix recommended by the Washington Conservation District unless the land returns to forest or row-crop production, and final grades must match the surrounding topography. The Zoning Administrator may require a bond or other financial guarantee to secure compliance. The Development Code took effect June 5, 2018.
Violations & Fines
Clearing 20,000 square feet or more of trees without a Certificate of Compliance, or clearing on prohibited slopes, floodplains, wetlands or stream corridors, violates Development Code Chapter Two. Under Section 9.1, violating any term of the Ordinance is a misdemeanor, and each day the violation continues is a separate offense; the county attorney can also seek a court order to restrain or correct the violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a few trees on my property in Washington County?
Can I clear trees on a steep slope near a wetland?
What happens after land-clearing work in Washington County finishes?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
Compare Washington County to another location·View the Minnesota landscaping rules overview
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