Ann Arbor protects landmark and woodland trees under its Natural Features Protection rules. A landmark tree is any tree of 24-inch DBH or greater (or a listed species threshold). Removing them during development requires city review, mitigation, and replacement or canopy-loss fees.
Ann Arbor's land development code defines a landmark tree as any tree of 24-inch diameter at breast height (DBH) or greater, or a species/DBH on the landmark tree list, with a health-and-condition factor over 50 percent. Woodlands are forested areas meeting size and density thresholds. Section 5:128 (Natural Features Protection) requires that natural features preserved on a site plan be protected during construction with barrier fencing at least 4 feet high around the critical root zones of landmark trees. Removing landmark or woodland trees in development triggers mitigation: replacement plantings, or up to 50 percent satisfied by paying the city's canopy-loss fee (about $250 per inch). This applies to development, not ordinary healthy trees on an existing single lot.
Removing protected landmark/woodland trees without approval, or failing required mitigation, violates the Natural Features chapter; penalties include replacement obligations, canopy-loss fees, and municipal fines.
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