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The Town of Summerville has had a Tree Protection Ordinance since the mid-1800s. The ordinance strives to protect the natural beauty of the Town and ensure the adequate preservation of trees.
Tree Advisory Protection Committee
All trees (all species) eight inches in diameter at breast height (DBH), including dead trees, require a permit to be removed. Permits for removal of trees for new construction projects are included in the building permit and reviewed as part of site plan review.
All trees 16 inches or greater must be approved by the Town’s Tree Advisory Protection Committee. The Committee also reviews any appeals to tree removals that have been denied by staff or a single member of the Committee. The Committee is made up of both staff members and citizens.
Click here to apply for a tree removal permit. There is a non-refundable $5 application that must be paid online.
Trees are typically approved for removal if they meet one or more of the following criteria:
The first act of Summerville’s first Town Council (in 1847) was a tree ordinance that was passed in early 1848. The tree ordinance continues to be enforced today and is thought to be one of the oldest tree ordinances in the country.