Fayetteville, Arkansas
Tree Removal and Tree Service in Fayetteville
Fayetteville's tree preservation ordinance, Chapter 167 of the city code, applies mainly to development: subdivisions, commercial projects, grading and building permits. An owner removing a tree from an established home lot generally does not need a permit, except for single-family construction in the Hillside-Hilltop Overlay District.
- County
- Washington
- Tree rules
- Fayetteville City Code Chapter 167, Tree Preservation and Protection
- Key local rule
- Tree Preservation Plan required for development and for single-family construction in the Hillside-Hilltop Overlay
- Electric utility
- SWEPCO and Ozarks Electric Cooperative
- Main hazards
- Ice storms, steep Ozark slopes, spring severe storms, rapid growth
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Fayetteville?
Not usually for an established home lot. Chapter 167 requires a Tree Preservation Plan, or an abbreviated plan for small projects, before land disturbance on subdivisions, large-scale developments, commercial and industrial projects, parking lots over five spaces, grading and building permits, and single-family construction in the Hillside-Hilltop Overlay.
- Established home lot
- Generally no permit for a healthy yard tree.
- Hillside-Hilltop Overlay
- Single-family construction needs a tree preservation plan.
- Street trees
- Need the Landscape Administrator's approval.
Chapter 167 in practice
No land disturbance, grading or tree removal may take place on a regulated project until the city approves the Tree Preservation Plan. Clearing before approval can bring a stop work order and delay final plat or occupancy until the site is remediated.
Owners can voluntarily register trees of historic merit, rare species or extraordinary size. Registration does not bind future owners. Trees in the public right-of-way may not be removed without approval from the city's Landscape Administrator.
Minimum canopy to preserve on development sites
| Zoning | Minimum canopy preserved |
|---|---|
| Low-density residential and institutional | 25 percent |
| Mixed and medium-density districts | Between 10 and 25 percent depending on the zone |
| C-4 Downtown | 10 percent |
From Section 167.04, Table 1. Confirm current percentages in the city code.
Northwest Arkansas warning signs
Oaks with old ice wounds
Decay entering where limbs tore away in 2009.
Trees on slopes after heavy rain
Saturated hillside soils let trees tip.
Bradford pears in yards
Weak forks that split under ice.
Dead tops on post oaks
Drought stress on thin, rocky soils.
The 2009 Ozark ice storm
In late January 2009, an ice storm coated Northwest Arkansas with an inch or more of ice. Fayetteville, the University of Arkansas campus and the surrounding Ozark hills lost huge numbers of trees and limbs, and many residents went a week or more without power.
Hardwoods in the Ozarks, especially oaks and hickories on the ridges, carried enormous ice loads. Bradford pears and silver maples in town broke apart. The storm remains the benchmark for tree damage in the region.
Steep slopes add to every job here. Trees on hillside lots are often taken down in sections with ropes, and stumps left to hold soil.
Building on a wooded Fayetteville lot
Check the overlay
Is the lot in the Hillside-Hilltop Overlay District?
Prepare a tree preservation plan
Showing canopy to be kept and removed.
Get approval
Before any clearing or grading.
Protect what stays
Fencing around root zones during construction, with no parking or material storage inside them.
Monitor after building
Trees damaged during construction can decline for several years. Water them and watch for dieback.
Fayetteville tree questions
Can I cut down a tree on my lot in Fayetteville?
On an established home lot, generally yes without a permit. Development, grading and hillside construction are regulated.
Who decides on street trees?
The city's Landscape Administrator.
Do Springdale and Rogers have the same rules?
No. Each Northwest Arkansas city has its own code.
What is the Hillside-Hilltop Overlay?
A zoning overlay covering steep slopes and ridgetops, where single-family construction needs a tree preservation plan.
Does the city plant street trees?
The city plants and maintains trees in public right-of-way and parks, and runs tree giveaway and planting programs for residents.
Is a tree preservation plan needed for a pool or addition?
If it needs a building or grading permit that falls under Chapter 167, a plan may be required. Ask the Landscape Administrator.
Reach a tree service in Fayetteville
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