Can I cut down a tree on my property in Bellaire?

Which trees are protected

The tree rules are in the Buildings chapter. A "protected tree" is:

• "A significant tree anywhere in the city." A significant tree is "a large tree with a diameter of 12 inches or more."
• "A large tree, excluding low-value trees," located in a front yard, a street side yard "(of corner sites)," or a right-of-way area. A large tree is "a tree with a diameter of six inches or more."
• When there is a permit in effect for development or pre-development activity on a site, "all large trees located on that subject site."

A "tree" is "a woody plant having at least one well-defined stem or trunk, a defined crown and a mature height of at least eight feet." Diameter is measured "as prescribed in the criteria manual," a city document the code adopts. A "low-value tree" is one in "class IV" of that manual that rates under 30 out of 40 points.

So a backyard tree under 12 inches across is not protected, unless a building project is under way on the lot. Check first, because the manual decides how the tree is measured. If a tree has already been removed, the code presumes it was a large tree if the stump is six inches or greater across, so a removal without a permit is judged on that.

Rule: City Code Sec. 9-350.

When you need a permit

"A tree permit is required for removal of, or damage to, any protected tree." The owner must apply. "If the tree is located on a property boundary, all owners must join in the application."

To "damage a tree" means "to take any action which could result in a tree's death, either immediately or at any time within two years following the action." The code gives examples, the first being "severing," and says they are "not intended to limit this definition," so damage can mean more than cutting a tree down.

If you only want to remove one protected tree, you do not need a tree survey or a tree disposition plan, but you still need the permit. Building projects usually need the survey and plan first.

Rule: City Code Sec. 9-351 and Sec. 9-352.

When the permit comes with no strings

The code says the permit "shall be issued without special conditions or replacement requirement" if the tree "is diseased, severely damaged or dead," if it "creates a hazard to human life or an existing building," or if it is a low-value tree. It also says a permit shall be issued with no conditions "if the lot maintains 150 percent of the minimum planting standards as defined in the criteria manual."

If the tree "causes an unreasonable impediment to use and enjoyment of the property," the urban forester reviews the permit and it "shall require that any replacement trees required by this article be planted."

Rule: City Code Sec. 9-351.

Emergencies

If a tree is an immediate risk to people or property, "a property owner may remove a tree without first obtaining a permit." You must then apply "within ten days of the removal" and give "documentation of the emergency conditions."

Rule: City Code Sec. 9-351.

Replacement trees

Permits for protected trees "shall require replacement by one or more newly-planted trees, normally on the same subject site, according to the 'replacement inch' requirements in the criteria manual." The inch count comes from that manual, not from the code itself. These rules apply to the replacements:

• Each replacement tree normally needs "a trunk diameter of at least two inches."
• If 10 inches or more are required, "one replacement tree for each ten inches must have a trunk diameter of at least four inches."
• Replacements must be class I or class II trees from the manual's list.
• Each tree needs a growth space of "at least 100 square feet, contiguous, with no dimension smaller than six feet."
• If a replacement "dies within the first two years of its planting," you must replace it.
• If you cannot plant enough on your lot, you can plant off-site replacement trees "within 1,000 feet of the subject site" or use a "replacement inch" certificate from the Bellaire forestry enhancement fund (BFEF), as the criteria manual provides.

Planting a class I or class II tree and registering it with the urban forester "within 30 days" can earn credit toward future replacement inches on the same site.

Rule: City Code Sec. 9-353.

Protecting trees during building work

Each protected tree you keep "must be fenced during development or predevelopment activity" with a fence "six-foot or higher." You may not use that area "for trash disposal, storage, vehicle parking or any other use that could adversely affect tree roots."

Rule: City Code Sec. 9-354.

Fees and appeals

We did not find a tree permit fee in the code. The city manager establishes a fee schedule, and a copy "shall further be prominently displayed in the office of the building official," so ask the city. Appeals of decisions by the building official or the urban forester, and applications for variances, are heard by the building and standards commission.

Rule: City Code Sec. 9-1 and Sec. 9-356.

Trees over the street and sidewalk

Separate from the permit rules, owners must trim trees in the right-of-way next to their property so they "hang no lower than 13 feet over any street" and "no lower than nine feet over any sidewalk."

Rule: City Code Sec. 22-22. For a violation of that section, the city may assess a fine of up to $500 per occurrence (Sec. 22-22(e)).

Your deed restrictions or HOA may be stricter than the city code.

What happens if you don't

Except as authorized by a tree permit, it is unlawful to remove or damage a protected tree "intentionally or knowingly." When the city sees a violation, its designated agent may issue a citation, stop work on the site, and refuse to grant a certificate of occupancy. Fines assessed by the municipal court for a violation of the tree article or a tree permit go into the Bellaire forestry enhancement fund. We did not find a fine amount in the tree article, so the general penalty applies: a fine of up to $500, and each day counts as a new offense (Sec. 1-10).

Rule: City Code Sec. 9-357.

Who to call

Development Services Department.

Sources

• City of Bellaire Code of Ordinances, Article XI Trees, Sec. 9-349 through Sec. 9-358; Sec. 9-1 (fee schedule); Sec. 22-22 (trimming); Sec. 1-10 (general penalty). library.municode.com/tx/bellaire
• Texas Local Government Code Sec. 54.001 (maximum municipal fines).

En español

¿Puedo cortar un árbol en mi propiedad en Bellaire? A veces, pero para un árbol protegido necesita un permiso de árboles antes. Los árboles de 12 pulgadas de diámetro o más están protegidos en toda la ciudad. Los árboles de 6 pulgadas o más están protegidos en el patio delantero, en el patio lateral de un lote de esquina y en la franja junto a la calle. Si hay un proyecto de construcción con permiso en el lote, todos los árboles grandes del lote están protegidos. El dueño debe solicitar el permiso. Los árboles muertos, enfermos o peligrosos se pueden quitar sin reemplazo. En una emergencia puede quitar el árbol primero, pero debe pedir el permiso dentro de diez días y dar pruebas. Si el permiso exige reemplazo, el número de pulgadas lo fija el manual de criterios de la ciudad; cada árbol nuevo normalmente debe tener al menos 2 pulgadas de tronco y un espacio de siembra de al menos 100 pies cuadrados. No encontramos una tarifa del permiso en el código; pregunte a la ciudad. También debe podar los árboles junto a su propiedad para que no cuelguen a menos de 13 pies sobre la calle ni 9 pies sobre la acera; la multa por no hacerlo puede ser de hasta $500 por ocurrencia. Si corta un árbol protegido sin permiso, la ciudad puede darle una citación, detener la obra y negar el certificado de ocupación; la multa general es de hasta $500 y cada día cuenta como una infracción nueva (las multas van al fondo de mejoras forestales de Bellaire). Sus restricciones de escritura o de la asociación de vecinos pueden ser más estrictas. Para preguntas, llame al Departamento de Servicios de Desarrollo.