Glen Cove, NY Tree Protection: Heritage & Protected Trees (2026)

Chapter 263 defines a specimen tree as any large hardwood 30 inches or more in diameter at breast height, any large softwood 36 inches DBH or larger, any ornamental tree 8 inches DBH or larger, or a smaller tree the five-member Tree Commission designates because it is rare, of exceptional quality, historically significant, or used as a landscape focal point. The Commission, whose members serve three-year unpaid terms under Mayoral appointment with City Council approval, holds original jurisdiction over every specimen-tree removal permit in the city under Section 263-3B.

Beyond the standard removal permit, Section 263-6D adds a second layer of review during subdivision and site plan applications: before a developer may remove any specimen tree of 30 inches DBH or greater that is not diseased or hazardous, the application goes to the Planning Board, which must examine whether the tree can be saved through project redesign. Every specimen tree the Board allows to come down under this section costs the applicant a $1,050 fee, deposited into the Tree Restoration Fund the City Controller maintains under Section 263-14. Before issuing a certificate of occupancy, the Building Department Administrator inspects the site to confirm every tree the Board designated for preservation still stands; if one was removed without approval, the applicant must replace it with an equivalent tree at the Board's satisfaction.