Mason County, WA Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

Section 17.07.894 governs maintenance of landscaping required under Mason County's Shelton UGA landscaping and screening chapter, which applies to new commercial, industrial, and multifamily development under § 17.07.830. It requires that landscaping and planting areas be maintained in a healthy growing condition, that dead or dying trees or shrubs be replaced within thirty days of notification in writing from the county, and that planting areas stay reasonably free of weeds and trash. The key trimming rule is its second requirement: topping of trees is prohibited unless prior approval is received from the county, and the county limits when it will grant that approval to avoiding the creation of a safety hazard, nuisance through excessive shading, overhanging adjacent properties, or other reasons as directed by the county.

The section also encourages, without mandating, that property owners maintain their required landscaping, minimize chemical use to protect water quality, irrigate conservatively, prune, and protect vegetation from grading and drainage changes. Because the rule sits inside the landscaping chapter, it reaches only trees that were planted or retained to satisfy a landscaping requirement on commercial, industrial, or multifamily property in the Shelton UGA, rather than every tree in the unincorporated county; the section's own preamble ties the strict topping approval to protecting water quality, shellfish, and salmon.