Sunday, February 28, 2016

Portland Tree Regulations Changed Allowing Private Trees to Be Pruned without a Permit

In January of 2015 MaxRedline pointed out that the City of Portland was requiring a permit to prune any tree with the City of Portland--on private property as well as street trees in the right-of-way.

Portland has revoked/amended the code. It now reads that trees on private property may be pruned without a permit except in p, v, c overlay zones. Here's a portion of the chart explaining the new provisions:


The City finally got some brains on the issue. In part it had to be due to the lack of personnel to oversee proper pruning of all private trees. Though the City still requires permits for pruning street trees except for very small branches.

6 comments:

MAX Redline said...

Nice catch, TD! I haven't kept up with this lately.

However, very little has actually changed:

http://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/53343

All of these areas are off limits for private tree pruning without a permit, and oddly - it covers most of the city.

This is why we moved out of our old place, which had a tributary of Fanno Creek running through the back of the property: Portland slapped an "environmental overlay" on the place and figured that after having lived there for a dozen years our experience counted for doodle. Nope, they were going to come onto the property any time they wanted, and dictate to us what we could and could not do on "our" property.

Idiots.

Under their amended rules, you can cut a branch if it's no more than a quarter inch in diameter without a permit. I have a number of dead branches on "my" Ponderosa pine that are four to six inches in diameter, but the city bureaucrats would require a permit fee and application to remove them. And you have to wait for a month or more for their approval or denial.

Idiots.

Ponderosas do that; the lower branches die off as the higher ones keep growing.

I am gross and perverted; I'm obsessed and deranged. I have existed for years, but very little has changed. - Frank Zappa, "I am the slime".

T. D. said...

Thanks for the link, Max! Though our part isn't covered, too much of the City is. So, yes, they still are being stupid. Too bad the voters in Portland are equally stupid to keep electing them.

MAX Redline said...

Count your blessings, TD. I imagine that the bureaucrats will find a way to include your area in an upcoming overlay, though.

T. D. said...

Yes, one takes whatever floating branch there is to get away from stupid, oppressive City regulations.

MAX Redline said...

You can't remove that floating branch! BES says they're critically important to environmental health.

T. D. said...

Heh. Good one, Max. And too true. When we move, we will move outside City limits.