cutting trees on privately ownrd shoreline

[jbach]

Anybody know the rules for removing trees on lake property? Have some right next to water , want tot remove.

[TR21HP]

You will want to contact the city or county and get an inspector out there. If they are diseased or dead no problem, if they are alive you may have to go through a vegetative alteration permit. Depends if they are on a bluff or within a shoreland impact zone. DNR is in charge but they usually give the city or county the authority if its a small matter.

[deerminator]

Check out the DNR site for below the waterline and your county ordinances for above. It all differs by county. For instance, our's says no more than 25% of trees within a width of 25% of your lot may be cut or trimmed within 100 feet of the high waterline. Some would disagree, but I'm a big fan of getting the county and/or DNR out there to take a look first. I've even had the local soil and water people out (who gave me many free plantings and seeds). Better than doing something you have to pay for later. Neighbor down the road had to restore cattails he removed and pay a pretty penny to do it. Good luck!

[delcecchi]

Anybody know the rules for removing trees on lake property? Have some right next to water , want tot remove.

St Louis County web sight (sic) has information. Not sure of the current rules.

[fishingstar]

It is all on how your lake is zoned. I live on a environmental lake and I could only remove a path to the lake. Legally I can not do any thing to the weeds or trees.

I have poison iv on my shore line and the DNR say can not kill it. My sister lives on a lake in the metro and can do just about any thing she wants

[jbach]

thanks fellas

[delcecchi]

Seems to be covered in part in St Louis county zoning ordinance 46. Maybe some place else, but I found this.

Quote:

3.01 Limits to Removal of Vegetation: The removal of natural vegetation (i.e. trees,

shrubs, and plants) within the shore and bluff impact zones is restricted and

limited to the following:

A. The removal of dead, diseased, dangerous, and storm or fire damaged trees,

shrubs, and plants.

B. The trimming and pruning of trees, shrubs and plants.

C. The removal of 25% of trees (greater than two inches in diameter at breast

height), shrubs and plants. Note: This means that no more than 25% of the

trees may be removed between the principal structure and the water body

within the impact zone, and 25% vegetative removal standard throughout the

shore impact zone.

D. Authorized removal of trees, shrubs and plants shall be accomplished through

human means (i.e. hands, ax, saw, etc.), and shall not be done by heavy

equipment.

[knoppers]

I would just cut the tree down, and not worry about the county making any moves against you. the county is not anyone to worry about for that, the DNR may be more interested on what your doing, but if its just cutting a tree down, just cut it down and don't worry about it.

[deerminator]

I agree with that to some extent. Our builder told us just take one or two each year and use common sense. Seems to have worked. Like I said, I've had the officials out and they liked what we did. Plantings to reduce erosion, letting cut trees (that were dying or dead) fall into the water (a favorite spot of bass fisherman that float by)and such. I used to get ultra-worried about this when we moved in but talking to the county eased my mind.

The only problem I ever had was when we built a staircase, one official that came out for the building permit wanted me to build one that wound around a maple sapling. I told him "I have virtually no carpentry experience. Building a straight staircase is going to be challenge enough." And he relented on that one. Our builder and neighbor did some shoreline alteration according to the rules. The county gave him a hard time at first but when he told them he researched the rules and he could do more if he wanted, they relented too.