Madison requires 1:1 to 2:1 replacement for removed terrace trees (MGO 10.10). Development projects under MGO 28.142 must meet minimum canopy requirements. Dane County has no private replacement ordinance. Replacement species must follow Madison's approved list emphasizing climate-adapted varieties.
Madison General Ordinances 10.10 requires replacement of terrace trees removed by the city or by permitted private action, typically at 1:1 ratio using species from the approved Madison Master Tree List. Development projects in Madison subject to MGO 28.142 landscape requirements must provide a minimum number of canopy trees per lot frontage, with replacement ratios up to 2:1 for larger trees removed during construction. Dane County, Sun Prairie, Fitchburg, Middleton, Verona, Stoughton, and Monona do not impose blanket replacement mandates for private-property tree removal, but subdivision plat approval often includes landscape plans. Approved species favor bur oak, swamp white oak, hackberry, Kentucky coffeetree, and other native/adapted species resilient to emerald ash borer and climate stress. Fee-in-lieu payments to Madison's Urban Forestry Special Fund are available when on-site replanting is infeasible. Minimum replacement caliper is 2 inches for deciduous and 6 ft height for evergreens.
Failure to replace required tree: $250 to $1,000 per tree plus mandatory planting. Non-approved species planting: replacement required at owner expense. Fee-in-lieu non-payment: property lien.
Dane County, WI
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See how Dane County's tree replacement requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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