West Des Moines, IA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)
Tree removal permit rules in West Des Moines, IA, 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 authority
- City Forester, § 7-10-6
- Advance notice
- Minimum 48 business hours before work
- Permit exemption
- Pruning branches under 6 inches diameter
- General penalty
- Up to $750 first offense, $1,000 repeat
- Appeal deadline
- 10 calendar days, written, to City Forester
- Tree service bond
- $5,000 bond required, § 7-10-9
Summary
In the City of West Des Moines, no one may plant, remove, treat, prune, cable or brace a public tree or shrub without a permit from the City Forester. Requests need at least 48 business hours of advance notice, and the rule covers trees in the right-of-way or on public property, not privately owned yard trees.
No person shall plant, remove, treat, prune, cable, brace, or otherwise disturb a public tree or shrub without first applying for and receiving a permit from the city forester. Requests for permits must be made a minimum of forty eight (48) business hours in advance of the time the work shall begin. ... 2. Removal: ... A permit shall be issued for removal of a public tree or shrub, including where the city forester finds the tree or shrub interferes with performing improvements within the public right of way or on public property, or the tree or shrub creates a public nuisance or danger. All public tree or shrub removal shall conform to the "City Forestry Standards Of Practice And Specifications".
Full Breakdown
West Des Moines City Code section 7-10-6 puts the City Forester in charge of every public tree and shrub: planting, removal, treatment, pruning, cabling and bracing all require a permit, requested at least 48 business hours before work starts. No permit is needed to prune branches under six inches in diameter. A removal permit issues when the City Forester finds a public tree interferes with a right-of-way improvement or creates a nuisance or danger, and all work must follow the City Forestry Standards of Practice and Specifications.
Property owners removing a public tree under an approved development agreement are exempt from the permit itself but still owe the City Forester 48 business hours' notice. Utilities pruning public trees operate under an annual permit and must submit their work schedule the same 48 hours ahead, except in an emergency. Closing a street, alley, sidewalk or trail to take down a tree needs separate written city approval. Under section 7-10-10, the Code Enforcement Officer or City Forester can serve written notice giving a set time to fix an unpermitted removal; if the owner does not comply, the city can do the work itself and assess the cost against the property the same way as a property tax.
Appeals go to the Code Enforcement Officer or City Forester in writing within 10 calendar days, with the City Manager deciding within 30 days under section 7-10-11.
Violations & Fines
Disturbing a public tree without a City Forester permit is a municipal infraction under West Des Moines City Code section 7-10-14, carrying the general civil penalty set in section 1-4-1: up to $750 for a first violation and up to $1,000 for a repeat violation. On top of that fine, the violator can owe the cost of repairing or replacing the tree, valued under the International Society of Arboriculture's plant appraisal guide, and the city can bill uncorrected removal or restoration costs to the property like a property tax assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in my own yard in West Des Moines?
How much advance notice does the City Forester need for tree work?
What happens if a public tree is removed without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in West Des Moines
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