Evansville, IN Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing body
- Evansville Tree Advisory Board
- Permit needed for
- Any planting of a public tree
- Board can
- Attach conditions or deny permit
- Species guidance
- City Arboricultural Specifications Manual
Summary
Planting a tree along an Evansville street, park, or other public right-of-way needs Tree Advisory Board permit review; the Board can attach conditions or deny the request outright.
The Tree Advisory Board or its designated agent shall have the authority to review all requests for permits for any planting, removal, trimming and/or cutting of public trees. Authority also shall be given to attach reasonable conditions to these permits and to grant or deny permits.
(C) No person shall remove, destroy, cut, severely prune (including the root system), or otherwise treat any public tree without first obtaining a written permit from the Tree Board, or its designated agent.
(D) Public utilities may, however, without a permit trim public tree branches and roots as necessary for the installation and maintenance of utility services as long as such work is done in accordance with provisions set forth in this chapter. Trees severely damaged by storms or other causes, or certain trees under utility wires or other obstructions where other pruning practices are impractical may be exempted from this chapter at the determination of the City Tree Board or the City Arborist. The cost of such actions is not the responsibility of the City.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance G-2026-12, passed June 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Any planting of a public tree in Evansville, meaning one placed on a City-owned street, walkway, sidewalk, or in a park, falls under Tree Advisory Board review. EMC 2.90.070(B) gives the Board authority to review every planting permit request and attach reasonable conditions or deny it. Separately, EMC 2.90.040(H) directs the Board to recommend which species get planted on City streets, choosing types that will not grow to block the visibility of nearby business signage. Technical spacing and species guidance lives in the City's Arboricultural Specifications Manual, referenced by the ordinance but published outside the code itself.
Violations & Fines
Planting a public tree without Board review, or against Board conditions, exposes the planter to enforcement under Chapter 2.90, including fines of $100 to $1,000 per violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to plant a tree in the strip between the sidewalk and street in Evansville?
Who picks which species go in along Evansville streets?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Evansville
Compare Evansville to another location·View the Indiana tree protection overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.