Portland's tree code permits and enforcement team joins Permitting & Development

Effective today, Oct. 1, 21 professionals from the Urban Forestry Division of Portland Parks & Recreation join a new team at Portland Permitting & Development dedicated to the implementation of the City's tree code. These new employees join six colleagues who moved to Permitting & Development in July 2024 to implement private development-related tree requirements.

The new Tree Permitting Division within Permitting & Development will issue tree permits for private property and street trees, review and inspect capital improvement projects, and enforce the City's tree code, both in development situations and outside of development proposals. This team will also respond to the Tree Hotline at 503-823-TREE (8733) and [email protected]. This division will be led by Robert Irving, a certified arborist with more than 20 years of experience. He has supervised the tree permitting staff within Permitting & Development since November 2024.

The Urban Forestry Division of Portland Parks & Recreation, led by City Forester Jenn Cairo, continues to serve as the City's urban forest infrastructure manager. This includes leading the development and implementation of tree-related policies, such as the Portland Urban Forest Plan, Tree Code (Portland City Code Title 11), and other specifications. Urban Forestry also oversees services and programs such as forest monitoring and assessment, tree planting and care, community stewardship, and education programs and partnerships. The Urban Forestry Division will continue to support the operations of the Urban Forestry Commission.

"Portland Permitting & Development continues to focus on ways to improve our delivery of services to Portlanders," said David Kuhnhausen, interim director of Permitting & Development. "Our new team of tree experts, focused on tree permitting and regulation, will play an important role in these efforts."

"The City of Portland remains committed to the protection and expansion of Portland's urban tree canopy. That does not change in this new organizational structure," said Sonia Schmanski, interim director of Parks & Recreation. "We look forward to working more closely with Permitting & Development to preserve the tree heritage of which Portlanders are very proud."

This staffing transition was directed by the city council through an amendment to the fiscal year 2025-26 budget, adopted in June. As part of this budget amendment, 10 positions in the Urban Forestry Division's Permitting and Regulation team were eliminated, effective Sept. 1.

To ensure continued success in implementation of the City's tree code, Permitting & Development and Parks & Recreation leadership will report regularly to the city council throughout this fiscal year, ending June 30, 2026, on the results of this transition and to discuss ongoing resource needs.