Bloomington, IL Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

Bloomington City Code § 19-105(B) makes any tree planted on public land or a public thoroughfare, including street parkways, subject to removal by the City unless the planter first files an application and gets a permit from the City Forester. The City Forester issues the permit only after finding the proposed species and location suitable, based on an application describing the number of trees, their location, grade and variety, the planting method, and the amount of surface soil area available for the roots. Once permitted, planting in the right-of-way must follow specific rules: trunks must be at least one inch in diameter measured one foot above the ground; no tree may be placed where the Director of Engineering and Water finds it would cause a traffic hazard; trees must be spaced at least 15 feet apart unless the City Forester grants special permission; no tree may go where the clear space between curb and sidewalk is under four feet, within five feet of an underground utility connection, within two feet of the curbline or sidewalk without special permission, or directly below overhead utility lines without permission.

The section also bans planting more than 30 listed species within the right-of-way. Anyone felling a permitted tree must grub out the stump if the City Forester requires it, and violating any of these planting rules is punishable under § 19-113 by a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $100.