Yakima, WA Landscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (2026)

YMC Chapter 8.77 is expressly a 'Public Tree Ordinance' — it regulates trees on public property, public rights-of-way, and only to a limited extent on private property. The Yakima Tree Board's jurisdiction is the care, preservation, pruning, planting, replanting, removal, or disposition of trees in City parks, along City streets, and in other City-owned public areas. There is no general private-property tree-removal permit for healthy trees on a homeowner's parcel. The City does, however, have the right under YMC 8.77 to cause the removal of any dead or diseased trees on private property within the city when such trees constitute a hazard to life and property, or harbor insects or disease which constitute a potential threat to other trees within the city. Trees in the public right-of-way (the planting strip between curb and sidewalk, or trees in city parks) cannot be removed without going through the Tree Board / Public Works process, and the actual work must be done by a contractor licensed by Washington State and holding a Yakima business license. Yakima earned Tree City USA designation in 2017.