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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.

Sign the Petition

Let's Get Moving in March

Tree Code Update!

The City of Bellevue City Council has tasked the Planning Commission to research and propose Tree Canopy Code Amendments in the following areas:


  • Tree Preservation: Review the definition of significant trees and assess whether/what limits should be placed on a number of significant trees that may be removed with a permit. 
  • Tree Retention: Clarify tree retention requirements and improve systems for tracking retained trees. 
  • Tree Replacement: Assess whether tree replacement requirements should be expanded. 
  • Tree Protection: Codify critical measures to protect retained trees from construction and pruning damage and assess current enforcement mechanisms.


The next steps include seeking initial community and stakeholder feedback, which will inform city staff in developing proposed amendments. Outreach events should begin in March with opportunities stretching over the next several months. Check back for dates!

Show your support for tree code updates...

Email the City Council: The City Council needs to hear from you! Email the council at council@bellevuewa.gov and ask about the status of tree code updates, share a personal story or share why trees matter to you. The council will be pushing the Planning Commission to complete this important work.


Email the Planning Commission: Voice your support for the Tree Canopy Code Amendments to the Planning Commission at planningcommission@bellevuewa.gov. Let the Planning Commission know the importance of preserving Bellevue’s tree canopy! 


Speaking opportunities are coming!

Speak at the Planning Commission: Speak to 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 or by emailing planningcommission@bellevuewa.gov. The next meeting is on March 8 at 6:30 pm. 


Speak at the Bellevue 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.

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 position on Parks

Bellevue has work underway to remove trees from Bellevue City Parks to make room for additional recreational opportunities, such as dog parks and pools. Trees4Livability is focused on residential tree code reform. However, we recognize the importance of taking a position on park-related planning. Trees4Livability supports park maintenance and revision that have a minimum impact on tree canopy. Current plans may not adequately consider the importance of tree protections. For more information about park planning in Bellevue visit the link below.

Find out more

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
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 >

Try Our Tree Code Navigator

Wondering if a tree removal in Bellevue is legal? Answer five yes or no questions to learn the answer and find out who to call to report a violation. Thank you to the Intern at Odle Middle School who put this together!

Tree Code Navigator

The State of Bellevue's Trees

Watch our video to learn about the state of Bellevue's trees and how local tree retention regulations compare with nearby communities. Source: BellevueWa.gov.

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.

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