Council tree rules in Upper Hutt
Upper Hutt's District Plan protects single trees as notable trees, and clusters as urban tree groups. Notable trees are listed in Tree-Schedule 1 and the protected trees in each group in UTG-SCHED1, and both show on the District Plan's GIS maps.
The council also suggests checking your Record of Title. A consent notice or covenant can protect trees or bush on a section even when the plan doesn't.
What Upper Hutt says can need a resource consent
- Significant trimming of a protected tree
- Removing a protected tree (dead, diseased and emergency cases have their own steps, below)
- Digging or building within the dripline (the ground under the outer edge of the branches)
- Laying a non-permeable surface, like concrete, within the dripline
- Discharging a toxic substance or storing hazardous materials within the dripline
Tree health in Upper Hutt
Even then the paperwork doesn't vanish. For a protected tree that's dead or incurably diseased, Upper Hutt wants a Council approved arborist to assess it, and the council told at least 7 days before it comes out.
Emergency work, where a tree is an immediate threat to people, homes or essential services, has to be supervised by a Council approved arborist, and the council still needs to hear about it.
Tree removal in Upper Hutt: what's local
Frost and floodplain
The urban area sits on a river floodplain, and winters bring regular and often heavy frost. Frost won't usually fell a tree, but a hard winter can show up later as dieback on frost-tender species.
Hill country and forest
The city runs up into the rough Akatarawa hill country, near Akatarawa Forest, Pākuratahi Forest and Barton's Bush. If your section backs onto bush or forest, find out who owns a tree over the fence before anyone cuts it.
Tōtara history
Early settlers cleared the indigenous forest, and sawmillers took the larger trees such as tōtara. Trees that made the council's list were assessed for significance by a suitably qualified person before a plan change added them.
Neighbours' trees in Upper Hutt
Under property law a neighbour can generally trim overhanging branches or roots back to the boundary, but if the tree is protected, even that may need a consent. Talk to the council first, then to your neighbour; our neighbours' trees guide covers the rest.
Hiring an arborist in Upper Hutt
We'd ring the Duty Planner with the address before getting quotes. If the tree is protected, ask for the council's list of arborists who can work to its requirements, and ask about the reduced fee for non-notified tree consents. For a tree on the road reserve, the Horticultural Officer is the person to log it with.