Tree-removal permitting in the City of Flint is administered by the Forestry Division within the Department of Parks and Recreation under Chapter 45 of the Flint Code of Ordinances. The City Forester and the Recreation and Park Board (Section 45-5) have permitting authority for any tree on a street, in a park, or in the public right-of-way. Section 45-11.1 separately empowers the Forestry Supervisor to direct removal of trees, limbs, or shrubs constituting an immediate hazard. Routine removal of a wholly private dead, diseased, or hazardous tree generally does not require a City permit.
Flint's tree-removal-permit framework centers on Chapter 45 of the Flint Code of Ordinances (https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/flint/latest/flint_mi/0-0-0-12957). Section 45-5 establishes the authority and duties of the Recreation and Park Board and the City Forester, who together with the Forestry Division within the Department of Parks and Recreation oversee permits for any tree on a street, in a park, or in the public right-of-way. A property owner desiring to remove a public tree must apply through the Forestry Division and obtain authorization before any cutting. Section 45-11.1 (https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/flint/latest/flint_mi/0-0-0-13030) authorizes the Forestry Supervisor to direct emergency removal of trees, limbs, and shrubs that constitute an immediate hazard, at the Supervisor's discretion. The Genesee Conservation District (https://www.geneseecd.org/trees) coordinates with the City on Street Tree Program removals - a Charles Stewart Mott Foundation grant has supported the removal of more than 350 dead or severely declining street trees citywide. Tree removal in a land-development or subdivision context triggers Erie zoning review through the Department of Planning and Development and may require Planning Commission approval. Earth change disturbing more than 1 acre or within 500 feet of a lake or stream triggers Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control review under Part 91 of NREPA (MCL 324.9101-324.9123), administered locally by the Genesee County Drain Commissioner with EGLE oversight. Routine removal of a single dead, diseased, or hazardous tree on private property outside the public right-of-way generally does not require a Flint Forestry Division permit, but homeowners remain liable for damage to City sidewalks, curbs, or street infrastructure caused by the work.
Removing a street, park, or right-of-way tree without a Forestry Division permit under Chapter 45 is a code violation, with standard Chapter 1 general penalty provisions (typically up to $500 per violation), plus restitution for the appraised tree value using ISA tree-appraisal methodology (often several thousand dollars per mature specimen). Earth-change activity exceeding 1 acre without a Part 91 permit (MCL 324.9101+) is subject to EGLE and Genesee County Drain Commissioner enforcement. Willful destruction of another person's tree exposes the actor to Michigan's timber-trespass statute (MCL 600.2919) with treble damages. Persistent unpermitted clearing in a land-development context can trigger stop-work orders and required replacement planting.
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