Unincorporated Clackamas County has no standalone yard-tree permit, but ZDO 1002.02 caps non-exempt removals at three per lot per year. Trees in mapped Habitat Conservation Areas (ZDO 706), Water Quality Resource Areas (ZDO 709), or the Willamette Greenway (ZDO 705) require review before removal.
There is no general per-tree permit for private yards, but removal is regulated in two ways. First, ZDO 1002.02 makes removing more than three non-exempt trees on a lot of record in a calendar year 'excessive'; excessive removal in the five years before a land-use application causes that application to be denied. Second, trees within protected overlays are regulated: ZDO 1002 notes removal 'may be regulated under other provisions... such as Section 705 (Willamette River Greenway), Section 706 (Habitat Conservation Area District), and Section 709 (Water Quality Resource Area District), or by conditions of approval on previous land use decisions.' Tree cutting is prohibited within river and stream conservation buffers except for limited exceptions. Cities set their own tree-removal permits.
Removal beyond the three-tree threshold jeopardizes future land-use approvals; unauthorized cutting in protected overlays or stream buffers triggers restoration requirements and code enforcement.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Backyard composting of yard debris and food scraps is allowed and encouraged in Clackamas County; no permit is needed for a home compost pile. Commercial-sca...
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Clackamas County has no ordinance banning or specifically regulating artificial turf in residential yards. Standard land-use rules on lot coverage, drainage,...
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Clackamas County does not mandate native-plant landscaping for private yards, but strongly encourages it and requires native-vegetation retention in protecte...
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Rooftop rainwater harvesting is legal in Oregon and does not need a water right. Clackamas County adds no ban. Collecting rain from an artificial impervious ...
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Clackamas County government sets no countywide outdoor-watering ban. Watering rules come from your local water provider (such as Clackamas River Water or Sun...
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Oregon law (ORS 569) declares noxious weeds a public nuisance to be controlled on all lands. Clackamas County runs the WeedWise program (since 2009) through ...
See how Clackamas County's tree removal permits rules stack up against other locations.
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