DEARBORN – Dearborn property owners need a city permit to remove trees that are diseased or dying or that are in the way of a private construction project.
Homeowners are prohibited from removing any tree that is at least four feet tall and 16 inches in diameter without first contacting the city. Removing such a tree without city approval is punishable by a $500 fine and up to 93 days in jail as a misdemeanor.
A Tree Removal Permit Application can be found at www.cityofdearborn.org or at the Permit Office at the Dearborn Administrative Center, 16901 Michigan Ave.
Submitting a tree removal permit application is free, but must be accompanied by a report from a certified arborist.
For more information about tree permits, call 313-943-2688.
Report suspicious tree cutting
Anyone who suspects that a property owner has not obtained permission from the city to cut down a tree, is asked to call 313-943-2688. If it is the weekend, call the police non-emergency number at 313-943-2241.
Providing trees
City residents also can order trees almost any time for planting on their easement. Trees will be planted in the fall.
More information about tree ordering and the online order form are also on the city website, or by calling 313-943-2107.
For neighborhoods that lose trees due to public construction projects, the city will replant trees on every property for free once the project is complete, even if there was not a tree on that site before.