The purpose of the tree and vegetation preservation program is to provide a means to preserve and manage significant natural areas and specimen trees in the community on private property.

The objectives of the program are to:

• Maintain and enhance property values;
• Preserve and enhance the visual appearance of the town;
• Preserve unique and productive coastal habitats;
• Reduce the impacts of development on the town's stormwater system;
• Assist the town in preserving and enhancing the quality of its estuarine waters; and
• Help create and protect the protective dune systems.

Tree Removal and Preservation is addressed in Chapter 32 of the Town Ordinances.

• CLICK HERE to View Town Ordinance Chapter 32: Vegetation

Tree Removal

APPLICATION 

Property owners wanting to remove trees from their property must first submit a Tree Removal Application.

Once the application has been reviewed and processed, staff will schedule a site visit. 

Trees which meet the criteria for removal, will be issued a Tree Removal Permit. Trees which do not meet criteria will be denied a Tree Removal Permit.

Please allow a minimum of 10 business days to process and review this request.

APPEALS 

Appeals of decisions by the Tree Program Manager or their designee can be made to the Board of Adjustment, in accordance with Section 4.10 of the Unified Development Ordinance.

VARIANCES 

Variances shall be heard by the Board of Adjustment. The Board of Adjustment must follow the standards found in Section 4.10 of the Unified Development Ordinance.

VIOLATIONS

Any person violating the requirements of this chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty of $500 as permitted by N.C.G.S. 14-4 and shall be required to replant the disturbed area in accordance with an approved vegetation preservation plan that meets the guidelines of subsection 32-74(c) and Section 32-76.

The Tree Program Manager or their designee may stay enforcement of the civil penalty if the offender replants the disturbed area in accordance with an approved vegetation preservation plan that meets the guidelines of subsection 32-74(c) and section 32-76, provided, however, the option to stay penalty does not apply to heritage trees removed without a permit. 

PLEASE NOTE:  

• Town staff DOES NOT provide consultations or remedial recommendations. Please consult an independent arborist to provide consultation or remedial recommendations.
• If tree removal is related to any type of construction project (new build, addition, renovation, repair, pool, deck/patio, ADU, etc.) it must be approved through the Building Permit Application review process.
• Tree removal requests for Heritage Trees (hardwood 15" DBH or larger and soft wood 30" or greater) must include an Arborist Report. NOTE: To calculate DBH (Diameter at Breast Height) at a height of 4' 8" measure around the tree, then divide the number of inches around by 3.14, to get the diameter (DBH).
• All trees requested for removal must be marked with either ribbon, flagging tape, or cording.
• ALL concerns regarding tree removal must be addressed PRIOR to removal of the approved tree(s). Determinations may be appealed within 30 days of receipt of Staff's notification.

CLICK HERE for Tree Removal Application

Tree Preservation

In late 2023, the Town completed the process of tagging 400 individual trees on Town-owned property, as part of the Tree Preservation Project.

This tagging effort took 17 days to complete, and included areas in Bill Smith Park, the Nature Center, May Moore Park, Barbee Street / Shipwreck Park, Hannon Templeton Dog Park, Town Hall, the Middleton Park Complex, and the Arboretum.

The Tree Preservation Project targeted Live Oak and Longleaf Pine trees at or approaching 100 years old (heritage size). The diameter at breast height (DBH) for Heritage Live Oak and Longleaf Pine is approximately 15 inches and 30 inches, respectively. The project placed a numbered, aluminum tree tag on the tree, noted species, latitude / longitude, measured DBH, and noted the health of the tree.

The Department prepared GIS maps of the locations, showing individual tag numbers, pictures of individual heritage trees, and recorded all data The data is available on the stormwater Department page of the Town Website Additionally, the maps and data are planned to be converted to an online GIS format were the public can interface individual tree data and pictures.

PDF copies of the data for each location are available by clicking the links below: