Kent County does not have a general county-wide tree-trimming ordinance covering private property — that is set by individual township and city codes. However, the Kent County Road Commission (KCRC) has direct jurisdiction over trees within county road rights-of-way under MCL 247.241, and its Tree Cutting Policy requires a permit before any property owner trims, removes, or otherwise works on vegetation in the easement or statutory right-of-way of a county road. The same permit umbrella covers all work in the county ROW, not just tree work.
Kent County, Michigan does not have a general county-wide ordinance regulating the trimming of trees on private property. Tree-protection ordinances within Kent County are adopted at the township or city level (for example, Plainfield Charter Township Chapter 28 addresses private roads and right-of-way trees, and individual cities like Grand Rapids and Kentwood maintain their own tree codes).
Where Kent County does directly regulate tree work is within the county road right-of-way. The Kent County Road Commission (KCRC) administers county-jurisdiction roads under authority granted by MCL 247.241, which provides that the board of county road commissioners "may plant, trim, care for, and remove trees, plants, and shrubs along and within the limits of any highway under [its] jurisdiction." KCRC has codified this authority in two related administrative policies: the Tree Cutting Policy, which identifies the process through which a property owner may be issued a permit for the removal or trimming of vegetation in easement and statutory right-of-way, and the Tree Planting Policy, which sets standards for new plantings.
On most county roads the statutory right-of-way is 66 feet wide (33 feet from the centerline on each side), although the easement on some older roads is narrower. Property owners frequently do not realize that the strip of land between the road edge and their fence line is in the public right-of-way, which means any tree work in that strip — including trimming overhanging branches, removing storm-damaged trees, or grinding stumps — requires a KCRC permit. KCRC may also trim or remove trees in the ROW on its own initiative to protect sight distance, clearance for vehicles, or road structure.
Permits are issued by the KCRC Permit Department (1900 4 Mile Road NW, Walker, MI 49544; (616) 242-6920; permits@kentcountyroads.net) Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The same permit umbrella that covers driveway connections and utility work also covers vegetation work; KCRC publishes the application form and current fee schedule on its permits portal.
Performing tree work in the Kent County road right-of-way without a KCRC permit is a violation that can result in a stop-work order, an after-the-fact permit at a higher fee, and restoration liability if the unauthorized work damages the road surface, drainage, or sight distance. Under MCL 247.171, willful obstruction or injury to a public highway — which includes unauthorized cutting of ROW trees that compromise the road — is a misdemeanor. KCRC may also bill the property owner for replacement plantings or pavement repair. Tree work outside the ROW, on private property, is enforced by the township or city, not KCRC.
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