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Today, Bellevue has beautiful trees.

Today, Bellevue has beautiful trees. Today, Bellevue has beautiful trees. Today, Bellevue has beautiful trees.

Tomorrow depends on us.

Get Involved!

Trees4Livability is working to strengthen Bellevue's tree codes

Since December 2021, Trees4Livability has been working with the City of Bellevue to strengthen tree codes. We have over 2000 signatures in support of our Tree Code Petition. Work is going on right now with the City Council, City Staff and Planning Commission to update tree codes. We need ongoing public support to show the need to push this work forward. Check below for a list of ways you can support this work, and keep Bellevue's trees around for the next generation!

Upcoming Meetings & Events

Speak at a Meeting

Speak at the Planning Commission!
Speak at the Planning Commission about the importance of the Tree Canopy Code Amendments. Meetings are held on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month in Conference Room 1E-113 at Bellevue City Hall and on Zoom. Sign up between 5:30 and 6:20 pm on meeting days here.


Speak at the City Council!

Speak to the Bellevue City Council about your support of the Tree Canopy Code Amendments. City Council meets Mondays at 6 pm in City Hall Council Chamber. Sign up to speak in person or virtually before 5 pm on meeting days.

View Meeting Schedule

Come to an Event

Trees4Livability at Bellevue Farmers Market
August 3rd, 3:00 - 7:00pm
Bellevue Presbyterian Church

1717 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004 


Educational Materials • Fresh Produce • Community

Bellevue Farmers Market

Share the Petition

Signatures and comments on our Tree Code Petition are sent regularly to the City Council. Sign and share the petition to keep pressure on the City to make lasting change.

Sign & Share the Petition

Make a Donation

Trees4Livability is 100% volunteer and community supported. We can amplify our message with support from our community. Donations allow us to host community events, educational opportunities and internship programs. Our campaign is designed to strengthen tree codes in Bellevue.

Donate Now

In the Community

Eastgate Block Party

Community Listening Session

Community Listening Session

Trees4Livability attends the Eastgate Block party to promote improving tree codes.





Community Listening Session

Community Listening Session

Community Listening Session

Trees4Livability attends the Community Listening Session with City Leaders to promote improving tree codes.





City Council Meetings

Community Listening Session

City Council Meetings

Trees4Livability presents regularly at City Council meetings to promote improving tree codes.





Amazon HQ2 will change the fact of Bellevue.

Now is the Time

Millions of Square Feet

We have millions of square feet of office space being built in downtown Bellevue. Large companies such as Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Symetra, T-Mobile, Appito, OfferUp, Smartsheet, and K2 attract new residents to Bellevue. Amazon's new office, for example, will be completed in 2025 and brings 25,000 jobs and significant demand for housing.  


We are a city of transplants. We welcome people from all over the world. We need new and more diverse housing options, but this does not need to come at the expense of our tree canopy. We need to strengthen tree codes in 2023 to preserve our city for current and future residents of Bellevue. Today, old homes are being torn down, and new larger homes are being built in their place. In the process, large quantities of significant trees are coming down. These trees take many decades - or in some cases, many lifetimes, to grow.   


In Bellevue, developers can cut down five significant trees without a permit. A significant tree is defined as 8" in diameter. These trees take approximately 25 - 45 years to grow. Additionally, we have no special protections for Landmark Trees that are 100 - 150 years old. Read more about this on the city's website.  


You can imagine how quickly these regulations could change the face of our community. You can see it, already...if you look around.



Bellevue's tree code needs to be updated to include:

  • Permits for all Significant or Landmark Tree removals
  • Minimum tree density requirements
  • Special protections for Landmark Trees
  • Replacement tree requirements
  • & More.


Detailed Recommendations >

5 Significant Trees - No Permit Required

Bellevue's Policies

Stronger Regulations

Bellevue's Policies

Bellevue allows developers to cut down 5 Significant Trees without a permit and has no special protections for Landmark Trees which take 100-150 years to grow. Bellevue is the only city in the region with such lax policies. Residential areas of Bellevue have 65% of our city's tree canopy, and stricter regulations are needed to protect our neighborhoods livability and character. Trees4Livability is fighting to protect and enhance tree canopy for current and future residents of our city.

Get Involved >

Growth is Coming

Stronger Regulations

Bellevue's Policies

We are a city of transplants. We welcome people from all over the world. However, growth brings with it additional demand for housing - which under current laws - often results in senseless destruction of our tree canopy. We have millions of square feet of office space being built in downtown Bellevue. Large companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and Apptio are drawing new residents. Amazon's office, for example, will be completed in 2025, housing 25,000 jobs and increasing demand for housing. With increased development comes increased destruction of tree canopy with our current lax regulations. 

Now is the Time >

Stronger Regulations

Stronger Regulations

Stronger Regulations

Development does not need to come at expense of tree canopy. We can have a city with beautiful trees and more diverse housing options. We need 2000+ signatures to show the City Council we're serious about meaningful tree code changes in 2023! New development is coming, and without action this year we risk losing large numbers of Significant and Landmark Trees in our neighborhoods. We need your voice. Please sign and share our petition.

Sign the Petition >

Our Partners

We are honored to work with community partners.

Save Our Scale (SOS) Bellevue
Bellevue Green & Clean
Brentwood Land Property Owners Association
People for Climate Action Bellevue
Earth & Climate Action Ministry East Shore Unitarian Church
Eastside Audobon
350 Eastside
300 Trees
TreePAC
Cascadia Climate Action

What makes a tree significant?

Tree significance is determined by the diameter measured 4.5 feet from the ground.
Bellevue defines a significant tree as 8" in diameter...

These trees take 25 - 45 years to grow.

Other major municipalities in the Puget Sound region define significant trees as 6" in diameter. 

Significant trees in an Enatai backyard showing how Bellevue Trees appear.
Can you imagine...

5 Fewer Trees?

With 5 fewer trees, 50% of the trees from the pictured home would be gone. Imagine what a difference that would make in the feel of the street, the neighborhood, and the community.

Why Do Trees Matter?

When you stop to think about it, it's easy to see how trees benefit our community.

  • They are majestic and provide unique dimension and beauty to our neighborhoods.
  • They improve air quality, maintain ecosystems, mitigate the effect of wind and stormwater runoff.
  • They help reduce heating and cooling costs and enhance mental wellbeing.
  • While trees can be removed and replaced with new plantings, it takes many decades for young trees to reach maturity and match the benefits of existing trees.

The trees we are talking about protecting take 45 - 150 years to grow.

These trees are not replaceable within our lifetimes. Once they are gone, it is unlikely they will come back.

Copyright © 2023 Trees4Livability.org - All Rights Reserved.

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