Edina updates tree protection rules for residential neighborhoods
The Edina City Council reviewed updates to its tree protection ordinance at a March 15 retreat, responding to community feedback with changes designed to streamline the development process while maintaining environmental safeguards on residential properties.
The city has revised its tree protection ordinance to clarify which residential neighborhoods are covered and to establish clearer rules about when trees can be removed during construction projects. The updates apply to properties zoned R1 and R2, Edina's standard residential districts.
Several practical changes aim to make the process faster and more efficient. The city reduced the timeline for escrow accounts and letters of credit—financial guarantees that ensure tree replacement happens—from 36 months down to 12 months. The ordinance now also allows developers to replace trees at different locations with city approval, rather than requiring replacement on the original property.
A significant new requirement involves certified arborists, who are tree experts. Under the updated rules, developers must hire a certified arborist at the start of certain projects to plan tree protection and coordinate with city inspectors. As one council member noted, this creates better continuity: "one of the best parts is that now certified arborists are required at the beginning of the project for certain projects and that helps coincide with our prior requirement to have them help with the building final at the end of the projects."
The ordinance also clarifies rules for unbuilt lots—empty properties where developers plan to construct homes. On these lots, protected and heritage trees can be removed without mitigation requirements if they're within specified distances of where new structures and infrastructure will go.
The council emphasized that these changes were shaped by input from residents and the development community. The updates attempt to balance Edina's commitment to preserving its tree canopy with the practical needs of homebuilders and property owners undertaking construction projects.
This story was created by artificial intelligence (a large language model) based on the proceedings captured in the video below.
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▸Meeting Analysis
“responsive to community feedback the city's tree protection ordinance has been updated”
“one of the best parts is that now certified arborists are required at uh the beginning of the project for certain projects and uh that helps coincide with our prior requirement uh to have them help with the building final at the end of the projects”
▸Source Document
[Music] responsive to community feedback the city's tree protection ordinance has been updated the updated ordinance clarifies that it applies to Residential Properties zoned R1 and R2 and provides a definition of an unbuilt lot protected and Heritage trees may be removed without mitigation on unbuilt Lots within 10 ft of the proposed building pad deck or patio within 5 ft of a driveway or within 10 ft of infrastructure improvements including public streets storm water retention areas and utilities the updated ordinance allows Property Owners to meet their requirements for tree replacement by planting trees at a different site subject to approval by City staff the escrow or letter of credit length was reduced from 36 to 12 months with the changes made uh to the tree production Ordinance one of the best parts is that now certified arborists are required at uh the beginning of the project for certain projects and uh that helps coincide with our prior requirement uh to have them help with the building final at the end of the projects staff continues to work on other possible changes to the ordinance
This story was created by artificial intelligence (a large language model) based on the proceedings captured in the video below.
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