Mount Vernon, NY Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required for
- Any tree on public property or parkway strip
- Issuing authority
- Commissioner of Public Works
- Min. trunk size
- 2.5 inches diameter at 1 foot
- Branch clearance
- 7 to 9.5 feet above ground
- First-offense fine
- Up to $1,000 per tree
- Owner duty
- Maintain curbside planting strip
Summary
Planting a tree anywhere on Mount Vernon public property, including the curbside parkway strip, requires a written permit from the Commissioner of Public Works under City Code Section 252-3.A. Abutting property owners and occupants must also keep the planting strip along their full curb frontage maintained under Section 252-3.E(4).
Permit required. ... It is unlawful for any individual, entity, corporation, utility company, telecommunications company, electric company, gas company or organization to pot or plant any tree upon any part of any public property or City park without first obtaining from the Commissioner of Public Works a written permit to do so, and without complying in all respects with the conditions set forth in this chapter and in such written permit... ... It is the duty of every property owner and occupant to maintain the planting strip. Such planting strip is to be located adjacent to, and extend along the entire length of, the curb of the street.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 252, Trees, regulates planting in the strip of public land between the curb and the sidewalk as part of its broader control over trees on public property. A makes it unlawful for any individual, business, or utility company to 'pot or plant any tree upon any part of any public property or City park' without a written Department of Public Works permit and compliance with the permit's conditions. 5 feet above the ground. If the soil is too poor to support the tree, DPW will not issue a planting permit unless the applicant agrees to excavate at least 36 cubic feet and replace it with suitable loam.
E(4) then puts ongoing upkeep on the abutting owner: 'it is the duty of every property owner and occupant to maintain the planting strip,' running the full length of the curb. A City Tree Surgeon reviews permit applications and reports to the approving authority, and permit fees and violation fines feed the Mount Vernon Tree Fund Escrow Account under Section 252-18, which the Commissioner of Public Works administers for citywide tree maintenance and planting.
Violations & Fines
Planting, cutting, or removing a public tree without written DPW permission violates Section 252-3 and is punished under Section 252-16: fines run up to $1,000 for a first offense per tree and up to $2,000 per tree for a second or subsequent offense within a year, deposited into the Tree Fund Escrow Account. Violators also must repair or replace each affected tree in kind, or pay a fee-in-lieu, and any tree that fails within two years of planting must be replaced at the violator's expense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to plant a tree in the parkway strip in front of my house in Mount Vernon?
Who is responsible for maintaining the strip between the curb and sidewalk?
What happens if I cut down a street tree without a permit?
Can a utility company trim a street tree near power lines without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mount Vernon
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Parkway Planting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Westchester County handle parkway planting.