Hammond, IN Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Planting permit
- Required before any tree lawn planting, no fee
- Species/size list
- Set by Arboricultural Specifications Manual
- Paving the tree lawn
- Needs Board advice and Council consent
- Obstruction ban
- No blocking signs, lights, sidewalks or traffic
- Maximum fine
- $500 per day, per violation
Summary
An owner-occupant in Hammond may plant a street tree in the tree lawn at their own expense, but § 105.40 of the Hammond Code of Ordinances requires a tree care permit first, and § 105.41 ties the planting to the species, size and spacing list in the city's Arboricultural Specifications Manual. Section 105.42 requires Board and Council approval before paving over a grassed tree lawn.
The owner-occupant of property abutting public ways may plant street trees in the tree lawn at his or her own expense in strict accordance with the municipal street tree regulations. A tree care permit must first be obtained for such a planting. ... It should be specifically noted that the Arboricultural Specifications Manual contains a list of acceptable tree’s including species and sizes to be planted, spacing, distance from curb, sidewalk and parking, and distance from street corners, fireplugs, utility poles, utilities and other regulations. No person shall plant or maintain any shrubs, bushes, trees or other forms of vegetation or material in such a manner that it obstructs or hinders street signs or lights, the passage of pedestrians on sidewalks or vehicular traffic on streets or alleys within the city. ... No person shall pave, remove or otherwise convert existing grassed tree lawn into hard, space with the addition of the aforementioned without the advice of the Hammond Board of Park Commissioners and the consent of the Hammond City Councils.
Full Breakdown
16(D). 41 folds in the Arboricultural Specifications Manual's list of acceptable tree species and sizes, along with required spacing and distances from the curb, sidewalk, parking, street corners, fire hydrants and utility poles. The same section separately bars planting or maintaining shrubs, bushes, trees or other vegetation in a way that obstructs or hinders street signs, street lights, pedestrian passage on sidewalks, or vehicle traffic on streets or alleys anywhere in the city. 42 protects the grassed tree lawn itself: no person may pave, remove or otherwise convert it into a hardscaped surface without first getting the advice of the Hammond Board of Park Commissioners and the consent of the Common Council. 02, with prosecutions handled through the city's Law Department when needed.
Violations & Fines
Planting without a permit, choosing an unlisted species, or paving over the tree lawn without Board advice and Common Council consent exposes the property owner to a fine of up to $500 per violation under § 105.99, with each day the condition continues counted as a separate offense. The city may also enter the property under I.C. 36-1-6-2 to correct the violation, after giving anyone with an interest in the property a chance to fix it first, and can lien the property for the cost of the work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant a tree in the parkway strip in front of my Hammond house?
Does Hammond limit what species I can plant in the tree lawn?
Can I pave over the grass strip between the sidewalk and the street?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hammond
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