City Of Rochester, Indiana

Rochester City Tree Board

Trees are a critical part of any urban landscape. They provide a cooling effect, reduce
noise, and improve air quality. Trees have also been found to play a roll in increasing
urban biodiversity, improving resident's physical and mental health, and increasing
property values.
The Tree Board's mission is to promote and direct a program of responsible cooperation
between City government, public utilities and individual owners to effectively preserve,
protect, plant, prune and positively influence the urban forest of our city.
The Board meets at the Rochester City Building at 5:00 pm on the third Thursday of the
month. Additional meetings on the first Thursday are conducted on an as-needed basis.
The public is always welcome and people with an interest in our urban forests are
encouraged to attend.

Tree Removal and New Tree Requests

By ordinance, the Tree Board is responsible for the area between the sidewalk and the
street, more commonly know as the “tree lawn”. All trees and shrubs planted between
the street and sidewalk or in a street right-of-way fall under the jurisdiction of the Tree
Board.
Pruning and Removal Requests - The Board will evaluate the tree and determine if the
tree is “at risk”. Only “at risk” trees will be removed at the city's expense. Homeowners
may also propose pruning or removal of these trees at their own expense. This form
must be completed by the property owner before authorization is given to remove
any tree in the above mentioned area.
Replacement Trees - Replacement trees to be planted in tree lawns within the City of
Rochester may be requested from the Tree Board. These trees are provided at no cost to
the property owner. However, the Tree Board does ask that the landowner agree to
properly care for the tree in such a manner as to promote its growth. While landowners
may make specific requests, the final decision on size, location and species will be made
by the Tree Board and may be made based on availability or site constraints.

Click Here to learn more about the City Tree Program

Board Members:

• open
• Jim Mulligan
• Matt Frank
• Eric Biddinger
• John Bowers, Chair
• Brian Fitzwater, Council Liason