Duluth, MN Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

The rule sits in Chapter 35's tree ordinance, administered by the tree inspectors the director of Parks and Recreation designates under § 35-27, typically the city forester's staff. Section 35-28 bars planting any vegetation on public property, defined to include all city-owned land and the improved portion of any street or highway easement, including boulevards, without the tree inspector's prior written approval. The same section prohibits damaging, cutting, carving, killing or injuring public vegetation, attaching ropes, wires or signs to a public tree or shrub, and digging or disturbing public vegetation without that same approval.

Lawmakers carved out an exception for boulevard vegetation generally, since much of it is turf or low shrubbery the city does not track tree by tree, but the exception stops at trees: any boulevard tree exceeding three-quarters of an inch in diameter is still covered and needs the tree inspector's written sign-off before a resident plants, moves or removes it. Construction projects touching public-property vegetation trigger a separate consultation duty between city staff and the tree inspector under § 35-29, and adjacent property owners get input when a project may require removing boulevard trees within a street right-of-way.

A tree inspector may enter private premises to enforce this Article after identifying themselves, per § 35-27(b), and interfering with that inspection is itself unlawful.