Tree Health & Planting on the north side
Tree permit and HOA help around north Houston
Before a protected tree comes down, we gather what approval needs: diameters, photos, a site sketch and a replanting plan.
Phone answered 24/7 · office in Spring, TX
- Trunks measured
- Every tree photographed
Updated October 2026
Tree Health & PlantingShort answer
Permit help in Houston starts with the rules: The Woodlands requires an application before removing any living tree over six inches in diameter, and a City of Houston permit for a tree on city property is posted 20 days before work. We gather what each approver needs.
The job
Which approval your tree needs
Three approvers come up on Houston's north side: The Woodlands Township under its covenants, the City of Houston for trees on city property such as street rights of way and medians, and HOAs enforcing deed restrictions. Each wants different proof.
We do the legwork that slows people down: measuring trunk diameters, photographing each tree, sketching where it stands and drafting a replanting plan when one is asked for. The removal itself waits until approval is in hand. Our Woodlands permit guide walks through that application step by step.
What moves the price
Pricing the permit legwork
Permit help is priced by the number of trees and what the approver asks for. Removal is priced separately; Angi's 2026 Houston planning figure for an average tree removal is about $800.
Tree count
Each tree needs its own measurements, photos and notes in the packet.
Which approver
Township permits, city right-of-way forms and HOA packets each ask for different proof.
Replanting plan
Choosing species and spots adds time when the approval requires a replacement.
Return trips
A posting period or a committee meeting can split the work into two visits.
Cost data: angi.com
How The Woodlands removal permit worksThe Woodlands Township applications
Not sure your tree counts? In The Woodlands, the trigger is size: a living tree larger than six inches in diameter needs an application before it comes down. We measure the trunk, photograph the tree and its condition, and write down why it should come out, such as decay, storm damage or a conflict with the slab. You submit the application as the resident. The saw stays in the truck until the permit is approved, and removal is scheduled from that date.
City right-of-way trees
A tree between the sidewalk and the curb, or in a median, often belongs to the city even when it shades your yard. The City of Houston requires a permit to remove or trim any tree on city property; the permit is posted 20 days before the work, and processing runs about 10 business days. We help you check the lot survey and curb line to confirm where the tree stands, photograph it, and set the work date around the posting.
HOA approval photos
Many HOAs ask for approval before a tree comes down, often through an architectural committee that decides from what is in front of it. We shoot each tree from the street and the yard, mark it on a lot sketch, measure its diameter and describe its condition in plain terms: dead top, cracked union, roots lifting the drive. A clear packet answers the committee's questions before they come up. The decision itself rests with the committee, and timing follows its meeting schedule.
Replanting plans
Some covenants and HOAs ask for a replacement tree, and a plan that shows one up front can make a request easier to grant. We suggest species that fit the spot, such as a native oak set well away from the slab or a smaller tree under the lines, and mark where each one goes. New trees stay clear of the drainage path, and a small lot may only fit one. Planting can follow the removal once approval comes through.
Questions about your tree? Talk to a crew lead.
Call (704) 839-2139In the scope
The packet we put together
- Trunk diameters measured at the height the approver asks.
- Street and yard photos, plus close views of defects.
- A lot sketch marking trees, house, drive and drainage.
- Plain notes on decay, cracks, lean, roots or storm damage.
- A replanting suggestion when the approval calls for one.
- Removal scheduled after the approval, never before it.
Local conditions
Why tree permit & hoa help looks different on Houston's north side
The Woodlands Township issues permits for tree removal along with other exterior projects, to keep work in line with its covenants and standards. Approval also hinges on drainage: the township looks at how the tree affects the way surface water moves. That is why our photos show the ground around a tree, where water runs after rain, not just the trunk and crown.
Timing
How long approvals take
The calendar is set by the approver, not by us. A city right-of-way permit runs on the city's posting and processing clock, so plan on several weeks rather than days. The Woodlands inspects each tree before approving it, and HOA committees often decide only at scheduled meetings. What we control is the packet: complete measurements and clear photos the first time keep a request from coming back asking for more.
Step by step
Measurement to the cut
Rule check
We work out whether township, city or HOA rules govern it.
Measure, photograph
Diameters, photos and a lot sketch are gathered in one visit.
Plain notes
Condition is described plainly, with the reason the tree should go.
You submit
The application goes in under your name as owner or resident.
Approval, then cut
Removal goes on the calendar from the approval date, not before.
In The Woodlands the resident applies, and HOAs deal with the owner. We prepare the measurements, photos and notes, so the application you send is complete.
If it stands in the street right of way, usually the strip between sidewalk and curb, it is city property needing a city permit. The survey settles it.
With a diameter tape around the trunk at the height the approver specifies, usually chest height. Multi-trunk trees are measured stem by stem, noting how we measured.
Ask what would change the answer. Committees may approve with conditions, such as a replacement tree, and a written risk finding sometimes turns a no into a yes.
Yes. Trimming counts, not just removal: any tree on city property needs a City of Houston permit first, so right-of-way limbs over your roof wait for it.
The covenant rule covers living trees larger than six inches in diameter, so a smaller one may fall outside it. Measure, and ask the township if close.
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