{"title":"Princeton tree removal rules and permits","question":"Do I need permission to cut down a tree on my property?","slug":"tree-removal","place":{"path":"ca/bc/princeton","name":"Princeton","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"building-and-renovating","name":"Building, renovating and your property"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"Town of Princeton","url":"https://www.princeton.ca"},"short_answer":"Princeton has no stand-alone tree bylaw in its posted bylaws. Tree cutting is controlled through development permit areas in the Official Community Plan: removing vegetation in a riparian (streamside) area needs a development permit. Ask Planning whether your lot is affected.","aliases":["cut down tree princeton","tree bylaw princeton bc","tree removal permit princeton","boulevard tree princeton"],"cost":"No tree-specific fee found. A development permit, where required, costs $625 (September 1, 2026 rate).","how_long":"Not stated.","where":[{"type":"email","label":"Planning Department","value":"planning@princeton.ca"},{"type":"phone","label":"Town Hall","value":"250-295-3135"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Town Hall","value":"151 Vermilion Avenue, Princeton, BC","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Official Community Plan 2022-2042 (PDF)","url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/60569/"},{"title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1059, 2026 (PDF)","url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/71635/"}],"related":[{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Princeton zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"fence-rules","title":"Princeton fence rules: permits and height limits","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/fence-rules/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/keremeos","name":"Keremeos","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/keremeos/tree-removal/"},{"place":"ca/bc/summerland","name":"Summerland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/summerland/tree-removal/"},{"place":"ca/bc/hope","name":"Hope","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hope/tree-removal/"},{"place":"ca/bc/penticton","name":"Penticton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/penticton/tree-removal/"},{"place":"ca/bc/peachland","name":"Peachland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/peachland/tree-removal/"},{"place":"ca/bc/oliver","name":"Oliver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oliver/tree-removal/"}],"topic":{"title":"Tree removal permits in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tree-removal/"},"facts":{"permit_needed":{"label":"When a permit is needed","value":"Cutting trees on private land is controlled through development permit areas in the OCP: in a riparian assessment area (DPA 5), removing vegetation is development that needs a development permit. DPA 6 (wildfire) covers subdivision and multi-family, commercial, institutional and industrial development.","short":"No, except riparian development permit area","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/60569/","title":"Official Community Plan 2022-2042, Part 5 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"Part 5, Overview","quotes":["Alteration of land or removal, alteration, disruption or destruction of vegetation or disturbance"]},{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/60569/","title":"Official Community Plan 2022-2042, Part 5 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"Part 5, DPA 5","quotes":["Development Permit Area No. 5 consists of all the riparian assessment areas within the Town"]},{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/60569/","title":"Official Community Plan 2022-2042, Part 5 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"Part 5, DPA 6","quotes":["Multi family residential, commercial, institutional and/or industrial development on"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"exemptions":{"label":"Exemptions","value":"DPA 5 exempts repair or reconstruction of a permanent structure on its existing foundation and agricultural, mining or forestry development. DPA 6 exempts work whose only activity is removing hazardous trees (a forestry professional's report may be required).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/60569/","title":"Official Community Plan 2022-2042, Part 5 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"Part 5, DPA 5 exemptions","quotes":["reconstruction or repair of a permanent structure described in section 532(1) of the","agricultural, mining, or forestry related development."]},{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/60569/","title":"Official Community Plan 2022-2042, Part 5 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"Part 5, DPA 6 exemptions","quotes":["The only activity being proposed onsite relates to the removal of hazardous tree(s).","applicants may be required to provide a report prepared by a forestry professional"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"fee":{"label":"Fee","value":"No tree-specific fee found. A development permit, where required, costs $625 (September 1, 2026 rate).","short":"No tree fee; $625 if development permit needed","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/53145/","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1026, 2022, Schedule I (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"Schedule I, I04","quotes":["Development Permit $ 515.00 $ 540.00 $ 570.00 $ 595.00 $ 625.00"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"replacement":{"label":"Replacement trees","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Princeton's posted bylaws set no replacement-planting rule for trees.","sources":[]},"city_trees":{"label":"City trees","value":"Owners and occupiers must maintain the Town boulevard next to their property, including trimming and maintaining trees, hedges and plantings and cutting or removing any tree that blocks visibility or safety for pedestrians, cyclists or vehicles.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/71635/","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1059, 2026 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"s. 4.6","quotes":["Boulevard and Alley Maintenance","trim and maintain trees, hedges, and plantings;","cut or remove any tree, hedge, fence, or Structure obstructing visibility or safety for"]},{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/71635/","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1059, 2026 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"s. 1 (definition of Boulevard)","quotes":["“Boulevard” means the portion of Town property described as the strip of land"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Princeton's posted bylaws set no ticket for cutting a tree without a permit.","sources":[]},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"No stand-alone tree bylaw found. Rules come from Official Community Plan 2022-2042 (Bylaw No. 1044, 2023), Part 5 development permit areas, and the Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1059, 2026.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/60569/","title":"Official Community Plan 2022-2042, Part 5 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"Part 5","quotes":["Development Permit Areas (DPA) are specific areas within the Town where more detailed"]},{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/71635/","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1059, 2026 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"s. 1.1 and s. 4.1(k)","quotes":["a Hazard Tree which poses risk of damage to persons or property."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":7,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":2,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe Town of Princeton has no tree-protection bylaw in its posted bylaw library. Tree cutting on private land is controlled through development permit areas (DPAs) in the [Official Community Plan 2022-2042](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/60569/). In the riparian assessment area (DPA 5), removing vegetation counts as development and needs a development permit. DPA 6 (wildfire) covers subdivision and multi-family, commercial, institutional and industrial development.\n\nDPA 5 exempts repair or reconstruction of a permanent structure on its existing foundation, and agricultural, mining or forestry development. DPA 6 exempts work whose only activity is removing hazardous trees; a forestry professional's report may be required.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Ask Planning (planning@princeton.ca or 250-295-3135) whether your lot is in DPA 5 or DPA 6.\n2. If it is, apply for a development permit before cutting.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Owners and occupiers must maintain the Town boulevard next to their property, including trimming trees, hedges and plantings and cutting or removing any tree that blocks visibility or safety for pedestrians, cyclists or vehicles ([Property Maintenance Bylaw](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/71635/)). Failing to maintain a boulevard is a $200 ticket ($100 if paid within 30 days).\n- Failing to correct a hazard tree is a $300 ticket ($150 if paid within 30 days).\n- The Town's posted bylaws do not say who may remove a Town-owned tree, or set a replacement-planting rule or a ticket for cutting without a permit. Ask Planning.","sources":[{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/60569/","title":"Official Community Plan 2022-2042, Part 5 (PDF), Town of Princeton","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/71635/","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1059, 2026 (PDF), Town of Princeton","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/53145/","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1026, 2022, Schedule I (PDF), Town of Princeton","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.princeton.ca/p/contact-us-","title":"Contact Us, Town of Princeton","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 2 are recorded as not set."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/tree-removal/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/tree-removal.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/tree-removal.json"}}