Routine pruning of ordinary yard trees is unregulated, but trees retained under an approved county landscape or tree-conservation plan must be pruned to code, and significant and legacy trees may only be pruned by a professional tree service under PCC 18J.15.130.
For most homeowners, trimming a tree on private property outside a development approval needs no county permit. The regulated rules in PCC 18J.15.130 (Plant Protection and Maintenance) apply to vegetation required by a landscape plan, tree-conservation plan, or subdivision approval. Pruning is limited to thinning (no more than one-quarter of leaf area), windowing, or skirting (no more than one-third of visible height), unless critical-area rules restrict further. Subsection C.3.a states 'Pruning of Significant and Legacy trees shall be done by a professional tree service only.' In critical areas and buffers (Title 18E), view-corridor trimming is limited to hand pruning within a 20-foot width and may not include felling, topping, or removal.
Failing to maintain, or improperly pruning, vegetation required under PCC Chapter 18J violates that chapter and the underlying approval; Planning & Public Works may require corrective replanting. Improper cutting in a critical-area buffer can trigger Title 18E mitigation.
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Lakewood, WA
Lakewood prohibits noise that disturbs the peace under LMC Chapter 8.36 (Noise Control). Residential quiet hours are 10 PM–7 AM weekdays and 10 PM–9 AM weeke...
Lakewood, WA
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Lakewood, WA
Lakewood prohibits frequent, repetitive, or continuous animal sounds that disturb the peace under LMC Chapter 8.36. Excessive barking is a noise control viol...
Lakewood, WA
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Lakewood, WA
Abandoned vehicles in Lakewood are subject to code enforcement as a nuisance. Lakewood Police Department handles abandoned vehicle reports for public streets...
Lakewood, WA
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