Oregon, OH Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Codified Ordinances § 158.02(b)
- Species list keeper
- Oregon Tree Commission
- List review
- Annually, updated as needed
- Off-list species
- Needs Street Commissioner's written permission
- Subdivision trees
- Encouraged; design via Street Commissioner (§ 158.17)
- Penalty
- Cost of replacement tree, billed on property taxes
Summary
In the City of Oregon, Ohio, street trees planted in public ways and tree lawns must come from an approved species list kept by the Tree Commission, per Codified Ordinances § 158.02(b), and § 158.17 encourages street trees in every new subdivision, with the Street Commissioner setting design and placement.
(b) The Commission shall prepare lists of tree species to be approved for the City. Only species included in the list may be planted as street trees without written permission from the Street Commissioner. Others not on the list shall have approval from the Street Commissioner. This list shall be reviewed annually and updated when needed. ... 158.17 TREES IN SUBDIVISIONS. Street trees are encouraged to be planted in all new subdivisions. Design and placement of these trees may be obtained through the Street Commissioner.
Full Breakdown
02(b) directs the Oregon Tree Commission to prepare lists of tree species approved for planting in the City, and it limits street trees on public property to species on that list; anyone wanting to plant a species not on the approved list needs written permission from the Street Commissioner. The list is reviewed annually and updated as needed, so the approved-species roster is a living document maintained by the Commission rather than a table printed in the ordinance. 01, the Tree Commission that maintains this list is a seven-member body: the Street Commissioner or a designee, an elected or appointed City official, a representative from the Oregon Growth Corporation, and four City residents appointed by the Mayor with Council's approval, each serving a three-year term without compensation.
17 extends the planting policy to new development: street trees "are encouraged to be planted in all new subdivisions," and the design and placement of those parkway trees can be obtained through the Street Commissioner, tying subdivision streetscaping back to the same office that administers the removal and trimming permits elsewhere in the chapter. 04 frames all of this as City policy to regulate planting, removal, maintenance and protection of trees in the right of way, guard against dangerous conditions in public areas, and protect trees against the spread of disease or pests. Chapter 158 was enacted by Ordinance 115-1992, passed September 14, 1992.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 158's general penalty at § 158.99 covers noncompliance with any provision of the chapter, including planting an unapproved species without the Street Commissioner's written permission: the violator is assessed the cost of a replacement tree recommended by the Tree Commission, billed on the following year's property taxes, with each affected tree counted as a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant any tree species along the street in Oregon, Ohio?
Who decides which trees are allowed as street trees?
Are new subdivisions in Oregon, Ohio required to plant street trees?
What happens if I plant an unapproved species on the tree lawn?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oregon
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