Islip, NY Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

Islip regulates trees primarily through Town Code Chapter 57 (Trees), a local law aimed at preventing wanton and indiscriminate cutting, theft, and damage of trees. Under Chapter 57, no person, firm, association, corporation, or partnership may cut, damage, carve, dig, or remove any tree, whether living or not, standing or downed, on public or private property without the prior written consent of the property owner, and anyone cutting or removing a tree must display that written consent on demand to any officer authorized to enforce Town law.

This protects homeowners and the public from unauthorized removals by contractors or third parties. For larger-scale work, the clearing of any land of trees and brush is governed by the Town of Islip Subdivision and Land Development Regulations, and a land-clearing permit must be obtained before clearing begins; where a building permit or site-plan application is pending, land clearing is prohibited until that approval issues unless the Commissioner authorizes otherwise. Permit applications are filed with the Town of Islip Department of Planning and Development. The Town does not impose a routine homeowner permit for ordinary pruning or trimming of one's own trees, but unauthorized removal of someone else's tree, or unpermitted clearing of a lot, exposes the actor to liability.