Chapel Hill, NC Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

Routine pruning of healthy trees on established private residential property is not subject to a Town permit in Chapel Hill. The Town's controls under LUMO Appendix A Section 5.7 (Tree Protection) attach to construction or repair activities within the critical root zone (CRZ) of any rare or specimen tree, where no work may take place until the Town Manager has approved a Landscape Protection Plan showing tree protection measures and preservation strategies. Trees within the public right-of-way and in town parks are maintained by Chapel Hill Parks & Recreation; residents must obtain Town authorization before pruning, removing, or damaging a town tree. Chapel Hill (along with Carrboro and Hillsborough) is a designated Tree City USA community meeting the Arbor Day Foundation's four standards: a tree board, a tree ordinance, at least $2 per capita on urban forestry, and an annual Arbor Day observance. North Carolina common law follows the Massachusetts Rule (Smith v. Holt) — an adjoining landowner may trim branches and roots overhanging the property line back to the boundary so long as the trimmer does not trespass and does not kill the tree. NCGS 1-539.1 allows treble damages for willful injury to timber, shade, or ornamental trees of another.