Madison Tree Code Chapter 27 places street trees in the terrace between sidewalk and curb under City Forester jurisdiction, requiring permits for any planting, pruning, or removal and specifying approved species suited to Madison's climate and soils.
The terrace, also called the parkway, is public right-of-way managed by the City Forester within Madison Parks. Under Madison General Ordinances Ch. 27, residents may not plant, prune above small twigs, or remove parkway trees without a permit. The Forester selects species from an approved list, balancing diversity, emerald-ash-borer resilience, and climate-adaptation goals tied to the Climate Action Plan. New construction and major remodels typically trigger a tree-planting requirement coordinated with stormwater and sidewalk plans. Damage from vehicles, utility work, or unauthorized pruning is billed to the responsible party at appraised replacement cost, often thousands of dollars per tree.
Unauthorized planting, topping, or removal of a parkway tree carries forfeitures of $200-$2,000 plus appraised tree value; daily forfeitures may accrue, and contractors face stop-work orders on related permits.
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