Kansas City regulates the removal of trees on public property and in the public right-of-way through the Parks and Recreation Department's Forestry Division. Trees on private property are less regulated, though certain protections apply during development and in specific overlay districts.
Removal of city-owned trees in the public right-of-way requires authorization from the Parks and Recreation Forestry Division. Residents may not remove or trim street trees without city approval. For private property, tree removal during development is addressed through the site plan review process — the Zoning and Development Code may require tree preservation or replacement as a condition of development approval. Certain overlay districts and planned districts may have additional tree preservation requirements. Kansas City's urban forest is managed through the city's Community Forest Master Plan. Residents can request removal of dead or hazardous city trees through the 311 Action Center.
Unauthorized removal of city-owned street trees is a violation subject to fines and restitution for the value of the tree. Developers who remove protected trees without approval may face stop-work orders and required tree replacement at ratios specified in the development approval. Damaging city trees during construction may result in penalties.
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