Portland has one of the strictest tree codes in the U.S. under PCC Title 11 Urban Forestry; permits are required to remove trees over 6 inches DBH on private and public property.
PCC Title 11 (Trees) requires a permit for removal of any street tree and any private-property tree with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of 6 inches or more in single-dwelling zones, or 12 inches or more in multi-dwelling and commercial zones. Removal of heritage trees requires City Council approval. Replacement plantings are mandatory on a 1:1 or larger DBH basis, or an in-lieu fee is paid to the Tree Planting and Preservation Fund. Development on sites with trees triggers a Tree Preservation Plan. Oregon ORS 527.620 (Forest Practices Act) applies on larger forested sites but does not preempt urban Title 11. Penalties reach 1,000 dollars per inch of DBH illegally removed.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Portland code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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