Dearborn Heights, MI Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)

City Code Sec. 33-30 requires a tree permit from the Department of Public Works before any tree is removed, relocated, or destroyed on non-city property in the City of Dearborn Heights, and before construction, material deposit, land clearing, grubbing, or grading occurs within the drip line of a protected tree. Where a site plan is required, the Building Department and Planning Commission must approve it before Public Works issues the permit; otherwise Public Works reviews the application within 15 working days. Sec. 33-30(h) designates any tree of 24 inches diameter at breast height (DBH) or greater as a landmark tree, along with a listed set of smaller-DBH species treated the same way.

Trees under 6 inches DBH are completely exempt from the permit requirement, and dead or diseased trees qualify for a fee-free permit if a licensed, insured tree remover certifies their condition in writing to Public Works. Removal that proceeds without the required permit, or removal of a tree the applicant had committed to save, forces mitigation under Sec. 33-39(b): protected trees that are not landmark trees must be replaced at 100 percent DBH, while landmark trees must be replaced at 125 percent DBH, on an individual or cumulative basis, with size and location of replacement stock decided by the City Council on the Planning Commission's recommendation.

Where mass clearing destroys the evidence needed to identify what was removed, Sec. 33-39(c) instead treats the site as a woodlot and requires replacement, or payment into the city tree fund, based on a presumed 136 canopy trees, 50 understory trees, and 250 shrubs per acre. Public Works may waive the permit process for 30 days after storms, floods, or similar disasters to allow emergency removal of damaged trees.