Do you need a permit?
No permit required for most private trees
Medford does not regulate trees on private property. Its entire tree ordinance sits in Municipal Code Chapter 6, Streets and Public Right of Way, and every prohibition in it is limited to trees on public property. The Land Development Code has no tree preservation article, no significant tree designation and no tree removal permit, and its landscaping section expressly exempts single-family lots. What you do need is a permit for any tree in the public right-of-way — including the strip between your sidewalk and the curb. That permit is free, valid 90 days, and comes with two mandatory conditions: grind the stump six inches below grade, and replace the tree.
Size threshold
There is no size threshold for the right-of-way permit; it applies to any "tree." MMC 6.705 defines that term by maturity rather than present condition: "Tree - A woody perennial, usually with one main trunk attaining a height of at least six feet at maturity or a trunk diameter of at least two inches, or shrubs when planted in the right of way or so near a right of way as to obstruct or interfere with public use of the right of way." Note the code does not state at what height above ground the two-inch trunk diameter is measured. It is not DBH, not caliper, not circumference — it is simply unspecified.
What's protected in Medford
- Any tree on public property, which MMC 6.705 defines as "Any property belonging to the City of Medford or dedicated to the public use in any manner including public rights of way."
- Trees on private property that have been declared a public nuisance, which must be REMOVED by the owner on city order — the inverse of a permit. MMC 6.735(4) reaches trees with pest or insect infestation, infectious disease, trees that "overhang a public right of way so as to constitute a sight hazard or danger to pedestrians or vehicles," and trees that interfere with public use of the right of way.
- Heritage Trees on City property, which "may not be removed without the expressed consent of the City of Medford Arborist." Heritage Trees on private property carry no removal requirement — owners are only "encouraged to first consult with the City Arborist."
- Willow, cottonwood and poplar as a PLANTING restriction citywide. MMC 6.715: "No person shall plant willow, cottonwood or poplar trees anywhere in the City unless the City Manager approves the site as one upon which the tree roots will not interfere with a public sewer or private lateral." This restricts planting, not removal.
How to apply in Medford
- 1
Call the City Arborist at 541-774-2652, or Parks at 541-774-2400, or download the Street Tree Permit Application. Have ready: your name, mailing address, the tree's address, where the tree sits relative to the lot, a daytime phone number, the tree type and size if known, and what is wrong with the tree.
- 2
Complete the form, checking PRUNE, REMOVE, PLANT or ROOT PRUNE, and give the property owner and applicant details, tree species, size and number of trees, and the reason for the permit and scope of work.
- 3
Attach a drawing. The form asks for "a map or drawing showing: street, sidewalk, trees, utility lines, sewer, water, and lights below."
- 4
Answer the page-two acknowledgments, including confirming the City right-of-way, whether the tree is shared on a property line, and that you are aware you must replace any tree removed in the right-of-way.
- 5
Complete the Right-of-Way Work Plan naming the arborist or tree service, its phone, and its City Business License number and expiration date.
- 6
Submit to the Parks and Recreation Department at 701 N. Columbus Ave. Await written approval — the form has three outcomes, Approved, Denied, or Conditionally Approved. The permit is free and valid 90 days.
- 7
After removal, comply with the two mandatory conditions: MMC 6.725(4) requires removing "the stump to a depth of six inches below ground level," and MMC 6.725(5) requires that "Any tree removed must be replaced. All replacement trees shall be a minimum of 1-3/4" caliper in size" and chosen from the city's designated street tree list.
Fees, penalties, and the ordinance
- Fee
- Free. MMC 6.725(3): "The permit is free and is valid for 90 days from the date of issuance." The city repeats this twice more: its Urban Forestry plan states "Permits are free of charge and require permit requestor to fully remove the tree and stump," and its Tree Planting and Irrigation Information page states that "a person cannot treat, prune or remove a tree in that area without a FREE permit." The Medford Planning Department Schedule of Fees contains no tree removal or tree permit line item at all.
- Penalties
- MMC 6.930(3): "A violation of Sections 6.710 through 6.745 is a violation and is punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000." Section 6.725 falls inside that range. MMC 6.930(1) adds that "Every day in which the violation is caused or permitted to exist constitutes a separate violation." Separately, MMC 6.725(6) provides that where a tree is planted or maintained contrary to the article, the Manager may remove or maintain it and "Any cost to the City of such removal or maintenance shall be assessed to the owner of abutting property," and may revoke any permit for any violation.
- Ordinance
- Medford Municipal Code Chapter 6, Sections 6.700 through 6.750, added in full by Ordinance No. 8026, February 1, 1996 — the city calls it "Medford Ordinance #8026." Section 6.725, the permit section, has never been amended; its history line reads only "[Added Sec. 1, Ord. No. 8026, Feb. 1, 1996.]" Other sections in the article were amended by Ord. No. 2000-54 (2000), Ord. No. 1999-216 (2000), Ord. No. 2009-162 (2009), Ord. No. 2003-293 (2003), Ord. No. 2004-20 (2004), Ord. No. 2013-83 (2013) and Ord. No. 2020-151 (2020). The penalty section 6.930 was most recently amended by Ord. No. 2021-135, November 4, 2021. The Medford Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2025-102, passed December 3, 2025.
Worth knowing
- The strip between sidewalk and curb is city-owned and yours to maintain. MMC 10.012: "Planter strip means a strip of land within the public right-of-way between the curb and edge of sidewalk designated for the purpose of street trees and vegetative landscaping." MMC 6.730(1) puts care and maintenance of those trees, and repair of damage their roots do to path, street, sidewalk or curb, on the abutting owner. MMC 6.730(3) makes an owner who neglects that duty liable to anyone injured and required to indemnify the City.
- There is no dead or hazard exemption from the right-of-way permit. The opposite applies: MMC 6.735(2) lets the city ORDER an abutting owner to remove a right-of-way tree that is dead, a stump, disease or pest infested, weakened or damaged by age, storm, fire or ice, hazardous to traffic or structures, blocking access, or heaving the sidewalk or curb. MMC 6.735(3) allows the city to require replacement.
- Overhanging private trees are regulated even though the tree itself is not. MMC 6.510: no owner or occupant "shall cause or allow trees or shrubs to overhang the sidewalk by a height of less than 10 feet or the roadway by a height of less than 15 feet."
- The Land Development Code writes single-family lots out by name. MMC 10.780(3)(a)(i) provides that the landscaping provisions are "not applicable to: (A) Single-family lots. (B) Duplex lots. (C) Triplex lots. (D) Quadplex lots. (E) Individual townhome lots. (F) Public parks."
- Utilities may prune a right-of-way tree that endangers or interferes with service, but MMC 6.745 requires "No less than five working days prior to pruning," except in emergencies, notice to the Manager and to abutting property owners.
- The city's Guideline for the Protection of Trees is expressly voluntary: it is "intended to be used for the preservation of trees on private property," in contrast to right-of-way trees, which "are governed by Medford Municipal Code 6.725."
- Appeals go to Council. MMC 6.750: if the Manager refuses or revokes a permit "the applicant may appeal to the council as provided in Section 1.025," which requires a written notice of appeal within 10 days and a hearing within 30 days.
- Medford has a Tree Committee that reviews Heritage Tree applications each January, with published agendas and minutes.
- Two different definitions of a street tree exist in Medford's codes and they do not line up. MMC 6.705 keys the permit to "public property," which stops at the right-of-way line, while LDC 10.012 defines a street tree as one "within the right-of-way or within 10 feet of the right-of-way if there is no planter strip or tree well ... including private streets." Both are limited by their own terms to their own chapter, but a tree just inside a private property line on a street with no planter strip is genuinely ambiguous. Call 541-774-2652.
What we could not confirm
We would rather tell you what we don't know than guess. Call the office below to confirm these before you cut.
- — The operative text of MMC 10.920 through 10.928, the Riparian Corridors division — particularly 10.922 Applicability, 10.924 Permitted Activities and 10.926 Prohibited Activities. Section numbers and titles are confirmed from the official table of contents; the language is not. Whether tree or vegetation removal inside a mapped riparian corridor on an existing single-family lot is prohibited, permitted or conditional is NOT determined, and this is the most likely place an otherwise-exempt Medford homeowner would still be regulated. If your lot touches Bear Creek or another mapped stream, call Planning at 541-774-2380 before cutting.
- — The operative text of MMC 10.929 through 10.933, the Hillside Ordinance, and whether it restricts vegetation removal on existing lots as opposed to at the time of development.
- — The operative text of MMC 10.727, Excavation and Grading Permit, and whether it independently regulates land clearing.
- — Where "Tree topping or severe pruning" is actually prohibited. The term is defined in MMC 10.012 but no operative section applying it was located.
- — The "adopted standards" under MMC 6.710. The code says the Manager shall adopt standards "governing the planting, maintenance and removal of trees on public and private property," filed with the City Arborist, and that "Violation of any adopted standard is a violation." The standards document could not be located. If a standard reaching private-property tree removal exists, it would change this answer — confirm by phone before relying on it.
- — The legal basis for the Tree Committee. It does not appear among the boards and commissions codified in MMC Chapter 2.
- — Whether the free permit can be denied outright for a healthy right-of-way tree. The form has a Denied box and 6.750 provides an appeal, but no published approval criteria were found beyond "shall abide by the adopted standards."
- — The correct Parks email address. The permit form gives parks@cityofmedford.com and the Urban Forestry plan gives parks@cityofmedford.org. The city publishes both.
- — The live text of the code. Both medfordoregon.gov and the city's code host block automated retrieval, so the code text was read from Internet Archive captures of those official URLs, most Chapter 6 sections from October 2024 and the codification banner from January 2026. Section 6.725 carries no amendment after 1996 and the city's own January and February 2025 publications quote it identically, so drift is unlikely but was not confirmed.
- — A replacement-size unit discrepancy. The code and the permit form both say "1-3/4" caliper"; the Urban Forestry plan says "1-3/4" in diameter" with no measurement height.
Sources
- Medford Municipal Code 6.725 — Permit Required (the controlling section; free permit, 90 days, stump and replacement conditions)
- Medford Municipal Code 6.705 — Definitions (Tree, Public Property)
- Medford Municipal Code 6.730 — Owners to Maintain Landscaping in Right-of-Way
- Medford Municipal Code 6.735 — Removal of Trees (city-ordered removal)
- Medford Municipal Code 6.930 — Penalties, Generally
- Medford Municipal Code 10.780 — Landscape and Irrigation Requirements (single-family exemption)
- City of Medford — Tree Planting and Irrigation Information (free permit, City Arborist 541-774-2652)
- City of Medford — Street Tree Permit Application, January 2025 (PDF)
- City of Medford — Guideline for the Protection of Trees, January 2025 (PDF)
- Oregon Landscape Contractors Board — tree removal, guying, pruning and stump removal require an LCB or CCB licence