A Street Tree Planting Permit application shall be submitted by the property owner and approved by the Parks and Recreation Department prior to the planting of tree(s) in the public right-of-way. There is no fee associated with this required permit.

Street Tree Planting Permit Process

1. Utility Locates. Iowa law requires utilities be located before digging to ensure no utility outages occur. Contact Iowa One Call at 811 or www.iowaonecall.com to locate the utilities in the right-of-way in which tree(s) are being planted. Iowa One Call will provide a locate number that shall be listed on the permit. Locates shall be completed prior to submitting a street tree planting application.
   
   
2. Complete Application. Fill out a Street Tree Planting Permit Application. 
   

   a. Applicant shall select prospective street trees from the approved Street Tree List.
   b. Applicant shall include a description of the location of the tree(s) in relation to the sidewalk, driveway, etc., and indicate distances between trees, signs, intersections, or other noteworthy items near the proposed planting location(s).

3. Submit Application. Once the application has been submitted, City staff will review the application and conduct a site visit to ensure the planting location meets the planting guidelines.
   
   
4. Permit Approval. The property owner will be sent an email confirming approval of the Street Tree Planting Permit upon approval of the planting site(s) by City Staff approximately 7-10 days after application submission.

For questions about the Street Tree Planting Permit process, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 515-239-5342 or gabriele.edwards@cityofames.org. Thank you for wanting to beautify your neighborhood and our community!