This ordinance allows Portland Parks & Recreation (PPR) Urban Forestry (UF) to update the tree permit fee schedule for FY 25-26. With the consolidation of private property development permitting into PP&D, fees related to those permit review and issuance responsibilities have been removed from this fee schedule. Some fees for development on city-owned or managed property are retained since those reviews remain with PP&R. The amounts for those fees are set to the same amount as PP&D’s fee schedule in order charge both private and city applicants the same amount for similar reviews.Fees in non-development situations such Tree Removal and Replanting permits and street tree pruning permits are eliminated or significantly reduced.
Official proposal and impact statementOrdinance2025-123
Should Portland amend fee schedule for tree permits (amend PRK 2.03)?
This ordinance allows Portland Parks & Recreation (PPR) Urban Forestry (UF) to update the tree permit fee schedule for FY 25-26. With the consolidation of private property development permitting into PP&D, fees related to those permit review and issuance responsibilities have been removed from this fee schedule. Some fees for development on city-owned or managed property are retained since those reviews remain with PP&R. The amounts for those fees are set to the same amount as PP&D’s fee schedule in order charge both private and city applicants the same amount for similar reviews.Fees in non-development situations such Tree Removal and Replanting permits and street tree pruning permits are eliminated or significantly reduced.
Official impact statementSee the official legal title
Amend fee schedule for tree permits (amend PRK 2.03)
Next appearanceFinal action is posted; watch for implementation updates.
Follow this matterWhat this proposal would actually do.
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The reviewed sources do not clearly identify every existing policy, service, contract, or obligation that would remain unchanged.
Official matter recordThis proposal concerns budget, taxes & finance and requires action through Portland’s public legislative process.
Official matter classification and recordEliminating permit fees is responsive to community input received over the last few years through formal planning processes like the Portland Urban Forest Plan and recommendations made by the City’s Urban Forestry Commission. This change is anticipated to make it easier for PortlandersUrban Forestry presented the fee schedule to the Urban Forestry Commission at their March 2025 meeting for feedback.
Official community impact statementWhat the record establishes and what it does not.
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Final Council action
Passed · 12–0
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Final action on 2025-123: Amend fee schedule for tree permits (amend PRK 2.03)
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Through Strategic Program 34 in the Council-adopted Climate Investment Plan, PCEF is providing funding to Urban Forestry to reduce financial barriers to complying with Title 11, the city’s tree code. PP&R anticipates reducing and eliminating non-development fees in the FY26 Title 11 Fee Schedule will reduce program revenue by approximately $400,000 annually. PCEF funding will replace the program revenue to sustain current service levels.Two fees are being increased: the Fee in Lieu of Planting and Establishment and the application fee for Programmatic Permits.The Fee in Lieu of Planting and Establishment is increasing by 5% from $450 to $472. This is the first increase of this fee since 2019. Other fees in the Fee in Lieu section are linked to this fee and increase by 5% as well. These fees are assessed in development situations in lieu of planting or preserving required trees.The Programmatic Permit Application fee is increasing by 10% from $6,500 to $7,150. This fee applies to utilities such as PGE and Verizon Wireless, as well as some city bureaus, who perform routine maintenance of city or street trees. Programmatic Permits are typically issued for multiple years which disperses the cost of the application fee. The current fee level was last set in 2019.
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Official testimony on this decision has closed. Residents can still contact their district Councilors about implementation and follow-up.
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Official documents1 sources
Final legal actionOrdinance 192055
The operative official record after Council action.
Open at Portland.govRead the full official text
The City of Portland ordains.Section 1. The Council finds:Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) promotes safety, livability, economic vitality, and environmental quality through management of the city’s urban forest including efficient and collaborative application of tree regulations.In January 2015, the city’s tree code, Title 11 Trees, was implemented. Title 11 is intended to streamline and consolidate tree regulations, improve tree retention and protection especially during site development, and provide for better enforcement of the city’s tree regulations.PP&R is largely a general fund bureau, however it practices cost recovery for some services, and collects certain fees under a fee schedule for certain tree permits. These fees are used by PP&R to fund tree inspections, plan review, permit issuance, land use review, code enforcement, customer assistance and other tree-regulation-related functions.PP&R charges fees to partially compensate for the costs of the services provided. PP&R does not charge fees for some services, for example tree planting permits, in order to encourage these activities and reduce potential barriers to compliance with regulatory requirements.Other infrastructure and regulatory bureaus, such as Bureau of Environmental Services, Portland Water Bureau, Portland Bureau of Transportation, and Portland Permitting & Development charge fees for their services in comparable processes.PP&R is increasing the Planting & Establishment Fee in Lieu to account for inflationary increases. The current fee level was set in 2019.PP&R is reducing or eliminating fees in non-development situations in order to reduce barriers and incentivize proper tree care and management of the urban forest.PP&R is eliminating fees for Ornamental Lighting Applications which were previously established by Ordinance 181144 by City Council on July 18, 2007.PP&R has been proactive in informing and seeking input from customers regarding the need and rationale for the proposed fee changes. The bureau has published information about the proposed changes on its website and has met with relevant stakeholder groups including the Urban Forestry Commission.NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:The Fee Schedule listed as Exhibit A to this ordinance shall be effective July 1, 2025.This ordinance is binding City policy.
Meetings, motions, amendments, and votes4 meetings · 3 votes
Passed as amendedAgenda item 9
Passed to second readingAgenda item 24
ContinuedAgenda item 14
Referred to City Council as amendedAgenda item 4
Recorded amendments
Motion to amend Exhibit A to strike the following Enforcement fees: Violation Review, Administrative Review, and under Non-Development: the Administrative Review and Appeal Application fee: Moved by Zimmerman and seconded by Pirtle-Guiney. (Aye (5): Pirtle-Guiney, Novick, Green, Avalos, Zimmerman)
Motion to adopt the fee schedule as amended: Moved by Novick and seconded by Green. (Aye (5): Pirtle-Guiney, Novick, Green, Avalos, Zimmerman) The Ordinance, amended for schedule of tree permits, moves to the full Council with the recommendation that it be passed.
Read all 2 exact motions
Motion to amend Exhibit A to strike the following Enforcement fees: Violation Review, Administrative Review, and under Non-Development: the Administrative Review and Appeal Application fee: Moved by Zimmerman and seconded by Pirtle-Guiney. (Aye (5): Pirtle-Guiney, Novick, Green, Avalos, Zimmerman)
Motion to adopt the fee schedule as amended: Moved by Novick and seconded by Green. (Aye (5): Pirtle-Guiney, Novick, Green, Avalos, Zimmerman) The Ordinance, amended for schedule of tree permits, moves to the full Council with the recommendation that it be passed.
Final Council action · May 21, 202512 yes · 0 no
Final action on 2025-123: Amend fee schedule for tree permits (amend PRK 2.03)
Meeting-level motion or recommendation · Apr 1, 20255 yes
Motion to amend Exhibit A to strike the following Enforcement fees: Violation Review, Administrative Review, and under Non-Development: the Administrative Review and Appeal Application fee: Moved by Zimmerman and seconded by Pirtle-Guiney. (Aye (5): Pirtle-Guiney, Novick, Green, Avalos, Zimmerman)
Meeting-level motion or recommendation · Apr 1, 20255 yes
Motion to adopt the fee schedule as amended: Moved by Novick and seconded by Green. (Aye (5): Pirtle-Guiney, Novick, Green, Avalos, Zimmerman) The Ordinance, amended for schedule of tree permits, moves to the full Council with the recommendation that it be passed.
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Official legal text
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- First discovered
- Aug 13, 2026, 1:14 PM PDT
- Last checked
- Sep 14, 2026, 2:23 AM PDT
- Evidence hash
- 01a228b307ad6e60
- Guide status
- Deterministic baseline
- SOURCE UPDATED
Passed as amended by council
- DOCUMENT PUBLISHED
Observed in the official source.
- Council Action
Passed as amended
- Council Action
Passed to second reading
- Council Action
Continued
- Council Action
Referred to City Council as amended