Edmonds, WA Tree Protection: Protected Tree Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Protected tree
- On approved plan or covenant/easement
- Vacant lots
- No pre-development clearing allowed
- Demolitions
- Removal barred beyond what's necessary
- Critical areas/buffers
- Removal barred except under Ch. 23.10 ECDC
- Only exception
- Documented hazard or nuisance trees
Summary
ECDC 17.130.050 bars removing any "protected tree," one designated for retention on an approved plan or permanently protected by easement or covenant, anywhere in Edmonds: on vacant lots pending development, during permitted demolitions, and inside critical areas, buffers or native growth protection easements, with narrow exceptions only for documented hazard or nuisance trees.
A. Protected Trees. Removal of protected trees is prohibited, except as provided for in ECDC 17.130.040(F), hazard and nuisance trees, or through an approved modification of a landscape plan. B. Vacant Lots. Removal of trees from a vacant lot prior to a project development is prohibited except as provided for in ECDC 17.130.040(F), hazard and nuisance trees. C. Demolition of Structures. Tree removal shall be prohibited as part of a permitted demolition except as required to reasonably conduct demolition activities subject to approval of the director. Tree replacement shall be required for removed trees. D. In critical areas, critical area buffers, and in all native growth protection easements, tree removal is prohibited except as allowed per Chapter 23.10 ECDC.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4444, passed August 3, 2026).
Full Breakdown
020 defines a "protected tree" as a tree identified for retention and protection on an approved tree retention and protection plan, one required as replacement under a permit or plan, or one permanently protected by easement, tract, or covenant restriction. 050 then locks that status in with a near-blanket prohibition. 040(F) or an approved modification of the landscape plan. On a vacant lot, trees cannot be cleared ahead of a project's development review, again except for documented hazard or nuisance trees. 080. 10 ECDC. 080(G) requires the replacement ratio to be set through an individualized determination of the tree's environmental value, using best available science on factors like carbon sequestration, stormwater mitigation and biodiversity support, rather than the standard size-based ratio applied to ordinary significant trees.
Violations & Fines
Removing a protected tree outside the hazard, nuisance, or approved-modification exceptions is a misdemeanor under ECC Chapter 5.50 and triggers civil penalties under ECDC 17.130.100 of $1,500 per tree under 12 inches in diameter, or the tree's appraised value for larger trees, with damages potentially tripled under RCW 64.12 and deposited into the city's tree fund.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a developer remove a tree marked "protected" on an approved Edmonds site plan?
Can I clear trees from a vacant lot in Edmonds before applying for a building permit?
Are trees inside a critical area buffer protected from removal in Edmonds?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Edmonds
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Protected Tree Species in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle protected tree species.