10/15/2026
🌳 Norwood’s New Tree Ordinance Is Officially Law! 🌳
Last night, the Mayor and Council voted unanimously to pass Norwood’s new Tree Ordinance. This one has been a long time coming. The Environmental Commission and I started this work back in 2022, and after four long years, it is finally done!
Thank you to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for coming together on this. Good policy should not have a party label, and last night proved it. A huge thank you as well to our Environmental Commission volunteers, who put in countless hours to get us here. đź’š
What it means for residents:
âś… One application, not two. The old duplicate street tree permit is repealed.
âś… One small yard tree (under 10")? No application needed.
âś… Dead or dying trees come down with no fee and no replacement tree.
âś… The Borough must decide on your application within 45 days.
What it means for developers:
➡️ A higher in-lieu fee: $750 per tree, compared to $500 for residents
➡️ Replacement trees required, based on the size of each tree removed
➡️ Removing more than one tree under 10" takes an application and a $100 fee
➡️ Violations carry a $1,000 fine
🌱 My favorite part: a dedicated Tree Fund
The ordinance creates a Tree Fund set aside for Norwood’s trees. Developers who remove trees without replanting pay into it at a higher rate than residents. One of the ways the fund can be used, once it has money in it, is removing dead, dying and hazardous trees in the Borough right-of-way, a cost that falls on residents today. That means the work gets done with no cost to the homeowner and no cost to taxpayers.
Protecting our trees, protecting our residents and making sure developers pay their fair share. That is what this ordinance does, and I am proud of what we accomplished together. 🌳
