We are currently experiencing high volumes of tree permit-related requests. We appreciate your patience as we process applications as quickly as possible.
Updated Private Tree Bylaw 40-2022 Notice:The City updated the Private Tree Bylaw. To review the bylaw document, see our links section, and review information in the in the various sub-sections below. A summary of the main changes are as follows:
Information about the above noted items can be found in the sections below. Email Service Burlington for more information or by telephone at 905-335-7777. |
The Urban Forest is made up of hundreds of thousands of trees throughout the City on both public and private property. The Urban Forest provides many benefits to a community through air cooling, water retention from storms, improving air quality, providing habitat for wildlife and providing mental health benefits. As a community resource, we all have a role to play in protecting and maintaining this resource well into the future. To help support this resource, the City has a NEW Tree Protection and Enhancement policy that is supported by two Bylaws that protect trees on public and private property: the Public Tree Bylaw (68-2013) and the Private Tree Bylaw (40-2022).
| What is the Tree Protection and Enhancement Policy? | ||||||||||||||||||
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The development of a corporate-wide tree protection and enhancement policy provides a framework for the improvement of several bylaws, policies, guidelines, and city-wide programs, so they are clear and consistent in their approach and aligned with the City’s strategic direction as it relates to the Urban Forest. The Corporate Tree Protection and Enhancement Policy is organized into four categories with corresponding policy statements which inform each category:
Strategic and sustained investment will be key to the appropriate management of tree-related opportunities and challenges as they arise and evolve. Urban forests have tremendous capacity to provide increasing benefits and services to the community as they mature. This policy will help to enrich the City’s urban forest and support the Vision to Focus goal of achieving 35 per cent canopy cover by 2041. |
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| What is the Public Tree Bylaw? | ||||||||||||||||||
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The Public Tree Bylaw regulates publicly owned trees. You will need to apply for a permit to injure or destroy (remove) any tree of any size anywhere on public property. The Public Tree Bylaw is applicable City-wide which includes both the Urban and Rural Planning Area Boundaries. The City generally does not support the removal of public trees. Careful thought and planning has gone into selection of the tree planted, along with the financial investment. Contact Service Burlington before submitting a permit to remove a public tree. Where a development application has been made, Council approval is required before a tree permit is issued. Please refer to the Link Section to read a copy of the full Public Tree Bylaw (68-2013). |
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| What is the Private Tree Bylaw? | ||||||||||||||||||
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The Private Tree Bylaw protects trees on private property within the City’s Urban Planning Area Boundary. If you live within the Urban Planning Area Boundary (see link below), you will need to apply for a permit to injure or destroy (remove) a tree 20 cm in diameter (8”) or greater measured at 1.37 m from the ground. Heritage trees and endangered, threatened, and at-risk species are also protected and may require additional approvals in addition to your tree permit. Please refer to the Link Section to read a copy of the full Private Tree Bylaw (040-2022). |
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| Where is the Urban Planning Area Boundary? | ||||||||||||||||||
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The Private Tree Bylaw only applies within the Urban Planning Area of the City of Burlington. The Urban Planning Area Boundary is the area below the black dotted line. The Rural Planning Area Boundary is the green area above the black dotted line. View our interactive map – once there, search for your address by clicking the looking glass icon:
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| When do I need a tree permit? | ||||||||||||||||||
* Additional permits and regulations apply **Permit required, but fees and compensation are waived |
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| How do I measure a tree’s Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) and minimum Tree Protection Zone (TPZ)? | ||||||||||||||||||
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The first step is to measure 1.37m (4'6") up from where the trunk emerges from the ground. This height is known as “breast height”.
The second step is to measure the circumference of the trunk at breast height and divide that number by 3.14 to convert the trunk circumference to diameter. This measurement is known as “Diameter at Breast Height” or DBH.
For double-stem or multi-stem trees, measure the DBH of each stem similar to the above. The total DBH for the tree is the square root of the sum of each stem diameter squared measured from the outside bark at a height of 1.37m.
You need the DBH of a tree to determine what the minimum Tree Protection Zone (TPZ) is around a private or public tree based on Table 1 in the City’s Specification for Tree Protection and Preservation (Table 1 excerpt below – note that the TPZ distances are projected from the outside of the tree all the way around the tree). Proposed work inside of the TPZ is considered an injury.
Table 1: Minimum Tree Protection Zones
*Minimum distances required
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| What qualifies as a tree injury? | ||||||||||||||||||
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Any activity that may disturb, impact or damage a regulated tree. This is typically associated with construction, or where projects are occurring near trees. Construction activities that can disturb, impact or damage a tree include:
If work such as those listed above will occur within the Tree Protection Zone (TPZ) of a tree, a tree permit for injury may be required and depending on the extent of work within this zone, a tree permit for destruction (removal) may be needed. Projects that often include one or more of the above activities include but are not limited to: construction or demolition of buildings, pools, driveways, hardscaping, servicing, landscaping, patios, or retaining walls. |
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| Tree Protection Standards | ||||||||||||||||||
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Construction activities may have a harmful effect on trees. All parts of a tree can be impacted by construction, including roots (through cutting and soil compaction), trunks (through physical damage such as abrasion), branches (through fractures or poor pruning) and foliage (through chemical or exhaust heat). This damage can lead to decay, structural issues, canopy decline and the eventual death of the tree. Construction damage may not become clear until several years after a project is completed. Tree protection should be reviewed during the initial stages of your project. The City has tree protection and preservation specifications that apply to trees. These specifications include minimum tree protection zones based on trunk diameter, requirements for protective hoarding, and required procedures where work is to occur within the tree protection zones, such as root pruning and sensitive excavation. Please refer to the Link Section to read a copy of the City’s Standard Specification for Tree Protection and Preservation. |
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| How do I get a tree permit? | ||||||||||||||||||
Building Permit NoticeIf you are also applying for a building permit, your tree permit application and Forestry review for your project will be part of Consolidated Pre-Building Permit process. No separate permit application is required. For more information about the Consolidated Pre-Building Permit process, please see the Links Section. If you are applying for a building permit, and no regulated trees are expected to be injured or removed, please fill out and sign the Tree Declaration Form and submit it with your Consolidated Pre-Building Permit application to the Community Planning Department. Note, that the City reserves the right to require that a tree permit application be made should the declaration and/or project details not satisfy our requirements. Please refer to the Forms Section for a copy of the Tree Declaration Form. Pool Permit NoticeIf you are applying for a pool permit, your tree permit application and Forestry review for your project will be part of Combined Residential Swimming Pool Application process. No separate tree permit application is required as it will be captured as part of the combined process. For more information about the Combined Residential Swimming Pool Application process, please see the Links section below. Tree Permit Application ProcessIf you are not applying for a building permit or a pool permit, and a regulated tree is expected to be injured or destroyed (removed), please submit an online tree permit application using the button below.
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| What are the fees? | ||||||||||||||||||
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| How does tree compensation work? | ||||||||||||||||||
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Compensation for private tree removals can be in the form of replacement trees or cash-in-lieu payment or both. The total amount of replacement trees is based on the tree size. Refer to the table below to determine how many trees you will be required to plant.
Replacement trees for private tree removals must be planted within a year of permit issuance or as identified on the tree permit, and replacement trees must be able to grow to a minimum of 4.5 m height at maturity. Replacement trees can be planted anywhere on your private property or on another private lot within the City’s Urban Boundary as approved by staff. If planting on an alternate lot, that lot will need to be identified on the tree replacement plan and we require a letter from the owner of that lot indicating this acceptance. The permit holder will be responsible for paying the tree replacement security deposit, and ensuring the trees are planted. The permit holder will be responsible for notifying staff once the trees are installed to get their deposit refunded. Deposits will only be refunded to the payee of the deposit. Replacement trees must be maintained in healthy condition. Replacement trees must be the following minimum sizes at the time of installation:
If there is no room for the replacement trees on your private lot or you opt to not replant, there will be a cash-in-lieu fee of $250 per required replacement tree. This money will be used toward the planting of trees elsewhere within the City. There will be a Replacement Tree Security deposit required at the time of your application. Once the trees have been replanted and verified by staff, the deposit will be refunded. Combinations of replacement trees and cash-in-lieu payment is also permitted to meet your tree replacement requirements for private tree removals. There is no requirement to replant trees where a tree injury permit is issued. Example: Tree removed has a DBH measurement of 30cm. This will require two replacement trees and a deposit of $500 ($250 per tree). Once the trees are installed the $500 will be refunded. |
Forms
Links
- City of Burlington Standard Specification for Tree Protection and Preservation
- Combined Residential Swimming Pool Application
- Consolidated Pre-Building Permit (required for all low-density residential properties requiring a building permit)
- Private Tree By-law 040-2022
- Public Tree By-law 068-2013
Contact Us
For any inquiries about the Public and Private Tree By-law, please email Service Burlington or phone 905-335-7777.