Saint Paul City Council Approves Comprehensive Tree Preservation Ordinance Following Extensive Community and Technical Review

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 15, 2026

Saint Paul City Council Approves Comprehensive Tree Preservation Ordinance Following Extensive Community and Technical Review

SAINT PAUL (MN) – Today, the Saint Paul City Council today approved a comprehensive Tree Preservation Ordinance, establishing new requirements to protect trees impacted by city projects and creating a consistent framework for tree preservation, replacement, and accountability across city departments.

The ordinance represents the culmination of an approximately 18-month collaborative process involving city staff, technical experts, community members, environmental advocates, neighborhood representatives, and other stakeholders. The effort was initiated by Council President Rebecca Noecker’s office in response to longstanding community interest and advocacy for clearer protections for trees impacted by city projects.

“Trees are essential city infrastructure. They provide shade, improve air quality, support our climate resilience goals, and contribute to the character and livability of our neighborhoods,” said Council President Rebecca Noecker. “My office was proud to lead this effort, bringing together residents, technical experts, advocates, and city departments to develop a thoughtful and lasting approach to tree preservation. This ordinance is the result of a tremendous amount of collaboration, discussion, and hard work. We heard from residents who wanted stronger protections for our urban forest, while also recognizing that the city must continue to make critical investments in streets, utilities, parks, and other infrastructure. This policy creates a clear and accountable process for doing both.”

Council President Noecker’s office convened the Tree Preservation Ordinance Public Input Group (TPO PIG), including residents, arborists, technical experts, environmental advocates, city staff, developers, and other stakeholders to help shape the ordinance and accompanying implementation procedures.

Throughout the process, community members raised important questions about how tree loss is measured, how replacement is determined, and how the city can ensure meaningful preservation outcomes. Those conversations helped shape the final ordinance and implementation standards.

“I’m grateful to the many people who took time to make this ordinance balanced and strong,” said Noecker. “This was not a quick process, and it was not a simple conversation. It required balancing competing priorities and working through complex technical questions.  Because we took the time to get it right and involve so many voices, we have a stronger policy that’s ready for implementation on day one.”

"I care deeply about tree preservation as trees are key to combatting climate change, supporting environmental resilience, and providing all a higher quality of life. This is especially important for neighborhoods in areas of concentrated poverty that experience higher rates of health and economic disparities,” said Council Vice President Nelsie Yang, Ward 6

“Tree preservation has been a priority of the city for a very long time. Our urban canopy is not something we can ignore or discard. This ordinance codifies thoughtful processes to preserve it long into the future,” said Councilmember Saura Jost, Ward 3

"In an ever growing and changing city, it's important that we maintain a commitment to preserving the natural environment, including our incredible tree canopy. This ordinance reflects the hard trade-offs that responsible governing requires, and I look forward to seeing it take effect as we continue to build a welcome, environmentally sustainable city,” said Councilmember Molly Coleman, Ward 4

The approved ordinance, and its accompanying detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), create a consistent set of expectations for city projects that may impact trees, including:

• Establishing requirements for tree preservation planning before construction begins;
• Requiring protection measures for trees located near active construction areas;
• Creating clearer roles and responsibilities for project teams, contractors, and city departments;
• Establishing standards for tree replacement when removal is unavoidable;
• Incorporating industry best practices and technical standards into city processes; and
• Improving documentation, monitoring, and accountability throughout the project lifecycle.

"This ordinance reflects our commitment to protecting critical environmental infrastructure while ensuring thoughtful growth and development," said Andy Rodriguez, Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Director. "By preserving trees whenever possible and establishing a consistent standard for those that must be removed, we're investing in more a more resilient and sustainable future for our parks and neighborhoods.”

“Maintaining and improving our public infrastructure is a necessity and a matter of public safety,” said Deb Barber, Director of Saint Paul Public Works. “Our Public Works team continues to work closely with Saint Paul Forestry Division to minimize impacts to trees, including removals, wherever possible. Trees are important, and they are impacted by both private and public-led construction projects. We appreciate the thoughtful community input to develop a citywide standardized operating process that hopefully minimizes tree removals and also makes our work more transparent to everyone.”

The ordinance was approved following a public hearing on July 8, 2026, where residents provided testimony and submitted feedback on the proposed policy.

It will apply to all city-sponsored projects on city streets, trails, bikeways and sidewalks that are bid out after October 2026. 

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About the Saint Paul City Council:
The Saint Paul City Council is the city’s legislative body, setting policy through ordinances and resolutions, adopting budgets, and providing direct constituent services across the city’s wards. Learn more at www.stpaul.gov/department/city-council.