Town ordinance explainers
These pages are built for architects, contractors, and owners trying to understand how local tree rules affect permitting, replacement burden, and pre-construction planning. Always confirm with the official sources linked on each page.
Towns with active tree ordinances
Arlington
Arlington's Article 16 requires a Tree Plan for demolitions and major construction. Protected trees start at 6 inches DBH in the setback area, with a 12-month lookback for prior removals.
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Brookline
Brookline protects private trees starting at 6 inches DBH and requires a Tree Protection and Mitigation Plan for construction activity within 30 feet of a protected tree.
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Cambridge
Cambridge protects trees starting at 6 inches DBH, with a 1.5x multiplier on Exceptional Trees at 30 inches and above. Duty-of-care standards apply on construction sites.
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Concord
Concord's residential tree bylaw protects 6-inch DBH trees inside the Tree Yard when certain demolition and major-construction triggers are met.
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Lexington
Lexington's bylaw covers protected trees 6 inches DBH and larger in setback areas during demolition or major construction. Mitigation is steep at 24 inches and above.
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Newton
Newton protects trees starting at 6 inches DBH with a published replacement and payment table. Construction activity inside the Tree Save Area is restricted, including on adjoining lots.
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Wellesley
Wellesley's bylaw is tied to demolition and development triggers, generally protecting 10-inch DBH trees. Tree Yard rules vary by zoning district.
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Other towns we cover
- Dover — Dover does not have a blanket private-tree ordinance. Tree jurisdiction usually comes through wetlands, scenic roads, public ways, or larger site-disturbance review.
- Weston — Weston has no single private-tree formula. Files typically involve stormwater, conservation, public-tree, or scenic-road review paths.
- Winchester — Winchester's tree controls focus on public shade trees and wetland buffer zones rather than a blanket private-lot ordinance.
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