Tree Protection Ordinance Review

Tree Protection Ordinance 10-82 was adopted Jan. 1, 2023, updating the prior ordinance in effect since 2015.

The goal of the ordinance is to protect well-established and healthy trees and preserve the nature, character and beauty provided by Edina’s tree canopy for generations to come. The ordinance also accounts for and mitigates the loss of trees and wildlife habitat on sites of development and redevelopment.

The ordinance requires all residential building applications to also submit a separate Tree Protection Permit. This permit requires plans for tree preservation and tree removal during construction.

If a project will remove trees covered by the ordinance, an escrow amount must be paid based on the size and species of removed trees. Half the escrow is refunded upon project completion, provided the tree plan has been followed. The other half is released after a site inspection three years later, to ensure all trees have been properly cared for and are well established.

In the first year of the ordinance:

• Trees Preserved: 1,957
• Trees Removed: 356
• Trees Planned for Transplant: 6
• Total Tree Protection permits reviewed: 216
• Number of Permits required an escrow: 49
• Number of Permits did not require an escrow: 167
• Total Escrow Collected: $490,801
• Largest escrow paid for a property: $91,327 (45 trees removed)
• Lowest escrow paid: $1,980 (2 trees removed)
• Average escrow: $22,562
• Median escrow: $14,850

City staff has been asked to provide a review of the ordinance’s first year. This survey is an opportunity for community members to offer their thoughts and provide feedback for this review.

The survey closes April 28.

Survey results will be provided to City Council for a May 7 work session reviewing the ordinance.