Title XX places street trees in the public right-of-way under the Forestry Division. Property owners abut but do not own parkway trees; planting, pruning, and removal require a city forestry permit and approved species list.
Title XX Chapter 22 designates the Commissioner of Forestry as the sole authority for street and parkway trees. Residents request a free tree planting through the Forestry Division on a list approved for diversity (no Bradford pear, no ash, no boxelder maple). Pruning the lower 8 feet of the canopy to clear sidewalks may be done by abutters with a permit. Removal of any street tree — even if dead — requires a Forestry permit and a replacement assessment. Damaging a parkway tree during construction or driveway work is billed at appraised tree value, often several thousand dollars.
Removing or topping a street tree without permit yields a Title XX fine plus appraised replacement cost (often $1,000-$10,000) billed to the abutting property owner.
St. Louis, MO
St. Louis property owners are responsible for trimming trees on their property that overhang public sidewalks (minimum 8 feet clearance) and streets (14 feet).
St. Louis, MO
St. Louis canopy averages 27% citywide but drops below 20% in north-side neighborhoods like Wells-Goodfellow and Hyde Park. The Forestry Division and Climate...
See how St. Louis's parkway planting rules stack up against other locations.
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