Schenectady, NY Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

The Superintendent of Parks controls every tree on city-owned land: § 243-6 gives the Superintendent, with the City Engineer's approval for street plantings, jurisdiction over the planting, location, care, trimming, removal, relocation and replacement of all trees in Schenectady's public parks and streets. Before anyone plants a tree that will stand in a public street or park, § 243-5 requires it to come from the "master tree list," a catalog of species suited to the city's urban conditions that the Environmental Conservation Commission compiles with input from Cooperative Extension staff, arborists, nurserymen and Cornell University, and keeps on file with the City Clerk. A tree not on the list can only go in with a prior written permit from the Superintendent.

Beyond species selection, § 243-7 makes it unlawful for anyone other than the Superintendent of Parks or an authorized agent to cut, trim, prune, spray, brace, plant, move, remove or replace any tree in a public street or park without first getting a written permit. The worker doing the actual planting or removal must also be approved by the Superintendent, who can require the crew to follow the street and park tree specifications the Environmental Conservation Commission updates from time to time. A permit issued under this section can be voided, with a fine imposed, if its terms are violated. Separately, § 243-8 lets an owner do this work on trees fronting their own property without a contractor's permit, but anyone in the business of tree surgery, trimming or maintenance must first get a one-year business permit from the Superintendent before working anywhere in the city, and public utilities get their own standing one-year permit under § 243-9 to trim or remove trees that interfere with their lines.