Gulfport, MS Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Sec. 8-9, written permit for public trees
- Planting review
- Sight-distance check by traffic superintendent
- Utility exemption
- Franchised utilities, if safety-necessary
- Pruning standard
- ANSI pruning standards required
- Related ban
- No impervious material over roots, Sec. 8-10
Summary
Planting, pruning or removing any tree on a Gulfport street or other public property requires written permission from the tree protection advisor under Code Sec. 8-9. A resident who wants to plant a street tree must also clear it with the superintendent of traffic control and safety, who checks for sight-distance hazards before the planting can be approved.
Except as provided herein, any person desiring to remove, destroy, cut, severely prune, including the root system, or treat any tree in and upon any public street or public property owned by the city, its agencies, boards, authorities and commissions, shall first obtain a written permit from the tree protection advisor. Any work performed under such permit must be done in strict accordance with the conditions of the permit and the provisions of this article. ... Any person desiring to plant a tree upon any public street or public place must also obtain written permission from the tree protection advisor. However, before any approval is granted to plant, the request must also be reviewed by the superintendent of traffic control and safety to determine if the proposed planting would create a sight distance hazard for traffic.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 68).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 8-9(a) requires anyone who wants to remove, destroy, cut, severely prune or treat a tree standing on a public street or other city-owned property to first get a written permit from the tree protection advisor, and any approved work must follow the permit's conditions and the rest of Article I. Sec. 8-9(b) exempts franchised public and private utility companies from individual permits for overhead and underground line work, including cable, water and sewer installation by or for the public works department, but only after the advisor determines the work is necessary for public health, safety and welfare, and only to the extent needed to provide the service; all utility pruning must follow ANSI pruning standards.
Sec. 8-9(c) governs planting: anyone wanting to plant a tree on a public street or public place needs written permission from the tree protection advisor, and the request must also go to the superintendent of traffic control and safety to confirm it will not create a sight-distance hazard for drivers. Sec. 8-10 separately bars placing impervious material, stone, brick or concrete around a public tree's roots, attaching signs, wires or advertisements to a public tree, or intentionally cutting, carving or removing one, all without a written permit.
Violations & Fines
Planting, pruning or removing a tree on a public street or public place without the tree protection advisor's written permit violates Article I and is punishable under the Code's general penalty, Sec. 1-9: a fine up to $1,000.00, up to 90 days in jail, or both, with each day of continued violation counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant a tree in the right-of-way in front of my Gulfport house?
Do utility companies need a permit to trim trees near power lines?
Can I put mulch or pavers around a street tree in Gulfport?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gulfport
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