Charlottesville, VA Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)

Charlottesville's tree conservation ordinance, City Code §§ 18-5 through 18-12, does not protect any tree species automatically. Protection begins only when City Council designates a specific tree, by ordinance, as a heritage tree (notable historic or cultural interest), a memorial tree (a commemorative planting), a specimen tree (notable for its size and quality within its species), or a street tree (planted by the local government in the right-of-way or on private property with owner authorization). Anyone, including a non-owner with the owner's written consent, can submit a written designation request to the administrator, who is the director of parks and recreation; the tree commission reviews it and the city arborist reports to council, which holds quarterly public hearings and must give the property owner at least 14 days' certified-mail notice before voting to designate.

Once a tree carries a designation, § 18-10 requires the property owner to make reasonable efforts to preserve it, and bars removing or intentionally damaging it in a way that could destroy it unless council authorizes the action because of an overriding public-improvement need or severe hardship to the owner. The city manager can independently permit removal if the arborist finds the tree dead, irreversibly diseased or damaged, or a danger that cannot be mitigated. Before any city-directed land disturbance within 50 feet of a designated tree's drip line, the arborist must be alerted and can require the work altered, referred to the tree commission, or halted.

Knowing violations of the article carry a civil penalty of up to $2,500 per violation, issued by summons in general district court, and § 18-11 exempts federal or state property, emergency work, utility line maintenance, home gardening, and commercial silviculture.