A SUSTAINABLE MONTCLAIR REPORTJUNE 2026
The VanishingCanopy
Net canopy loss by ward, 2020–2025
Six years of tree removals across Montclair, mapped ward by ward — the complete picture, built entirely from public records obtained under OPRA.
The Findings
What we found
4,786
trees removed, 2020–2025
Public and private property combined — and this is a floor, since unpermitted removals go untracked.
−2,133
net canopy deficit over six years
Removals minus genuine canopy replacements. Privacy screens don't count.
21%
of replacements are privacy screens
Arborvitae and juniper that satisfy the permit but never become shade.
$0
spent on planting in 2025
From a $500,000 municipal budget. Every tree planted that year came from a one-time federal grant.
The Breakdown
Where the trees came down
Private-permit tree removals by year, broken out by ward. Nearly half of every year's removals come from Ward 1 alone.
The Map · Six-Year View
Every ward lost canopy
Private property, all six years — the one dataset complete for the full period. No ward shows a gain.
The Map · 2025 Combined
One complete year, public and private
2025 is the only year both datasets align. Ward 4's lone +12 came from a one-time federal grant — the town's own budget planted nothing.
The Trend
Every single year, a loss
Private-permit canopy net by year — genuine canopy replacements minus trees removed. The six-year total is −902.
The Catch
A replacement isn't always canopy
Montclair's permit accepts privacy screens as replacements — plants that never give shade, hold stormwater, or cool a street.
2,121
Canopy trees
Oaks, maples, and the township list — full shade, stormwater, and carbon benefit at maturity.
625
Privacy screens
Arborvitae, Green Giant, juniper. No shade, no stormwater, no carbon — pure screening.
279
Ornamentals
Dogwood, magnolia, cherry. A small crown and only minimal canopy value.
The Unknown
What is our canopy right now?
Nobody can say. The only official figure is nearly a decade old, and the town has never re-measured.
38%
the canopy figure in the 2025 Master Plan
It dates to 2016.
Measured once, by the state — and never checked again.
Everything since points down
~2,000 ash trees lost to the Emerald Ash Borer
21 heritage oaks cleared at Woodman Field (2023)
−2,133 trees net, six years of documented removals
Storm losses and a decade of development, uncounted
The honest estimate is a range — roughly 35–38% — and probably the lower end, once undercounted removals and the gap between a felled shade tree and a two-inch sapling are accounted for. But no one has verified it.
What the 2025 Master Plan Missed
Policy without the data
The Sustainability & Resilience Amendment calls trees “vital green infrastructure” — but was written without the removal data.
It cites an expired plan as current. The 2014 Community Forestry Management Plan lapsed in 2024, yet is presented as active policy.
It contains no removal data at all. No mention of 1,763 public or 3,023 private trees removed, or of the $0 spent on planting in 2025.
It overlooks the Ward 3 heat corridor. Bloomfield Avenue spans Wards 3 and 4, yet Ward 3 received only 32 town plantings in six years.
It treats a one-time grant as a program — and builds on an unverified 2016 canopy baseline that net losses have almost certainly eroded.
The Record
A system that isn't keeping count
Documented failures across accountability, records, enforcement, and staffing — every one drawn from the town's own records and OPRA responses.
Accountability
- Only one NJDEP annual forestry report filed across 2016–2026 — for 2020.
- The Community Forestry Management Plan expired in 2024.
- Accreditation has lapsed: no certified arborist, no current plan.
- Stated planting totals shifted across three emails received by constituents from town employees.
Records & Data
- Crew logs capture only ~33% of removals; 2023's true total was 302, not 109.
- The 692-tree planting database has no year column — no claim can be verified.
- Three years of removals, 1,256 trees, exist only as aggregate counts.
- ~50% of private permits record no removed species.
Enforcement
- No post-permit inspection confirms a single required replacement was planted.
- No Certificate of Occupancy hold and no follow-up mechanism.
- Unpermitted removals go entirely untracked — the 3,023 figure is a floor.
- 625 privacy screens accepted as replacements; the ordinance permits it.
Budget & EAB
- $0 of the $500,000 capital budget went to planting in 2025.
- No protected planting line — pruning and removals consume the funds.
- The arborist position is vacant.
- ~2,000 ash trees lost to the Emerald Ash Borer.
The Remedy
Five things the data requires
Our recommendations.
- I.Verify the baselineFund and complete the tree inventory now underway, and pair it with a canopy assessment. You can't manage what you've never measured.
- II.A real shade-tree ordinanceThe strongest ordinance available — including a Certificate of Occupancy hold until replacements are verified, real protection for the largest trees, and multi-removal aggregation and survival requirements. See the full peer-town comparison below for the complete slate of asks.
- III.A full-time arborist and a protected budgetA planting line that can't be drained by pruning and removals — and a person whose job is the canopy.
- IV.Shade Trees under the Director of SustainabilityMove canopy management out of DCS, tied to the Climate Action Plan and Master Plan resilience goals.
- V.Restore state accreditationA new five-year NJDEP forestry plan, a certified arborist, and annual urban-forestry reporting to Council.
The Bottom Line
The picture could be even worse.
These figures are floors, not ceilings. Unpermitted removals go untracked, replacement plantings are never verified, and Montclair has no baseline canopy measurement — no i-Tree or satellite assessment, and no measure of what it has already lost. The true canopy picture is almost certainly worse than this report can document.
A SUSTAINABLE MONTCLAIR ANALYSISJUNE 2026
The Shade Tree Ordinance
Where We StandAmong Peer NJ Towns
Montclair's Shade Tree Ordinance (Chapter 324), ranked against ten verified municipal ordinances
A draft ordinance to update Chapter 324 was introduced on 6/9/26. This page shows where Montclair's current ordinance, its proposed draft, and Sustainable Montclair's amendment asks place us — measured against neighboring towns whose ordinances have been verified from primary text.
Levels reflect the combination of scaled replacement ratios, species-quality requirements, enforcement mechanisms (bond, Certificate of Occupancy hold), extraordinary-tree protections, and commercial/developer differentiation.
The Ladder
Four levels, and where Montclair sits
Level 1
Montclair — current
weakest in comparison
Level 2
Montclair — proposed
solid but mid-range
Level 3
With SM's asks
peer-leading in NJ
Level 4
With developer phase
among NJ's strongest
Level 1Minimal protection — flat 1:1 or development-only; no replacement table; no enforcement mechanism
Montclair — current
Flat 1:1 for any size tree. $250 fee. 8″+ threshold. Contractor self-certifies. No size scaling, no species-quality requirement, no verified planting.
Clifton
Development applications only. Routine residential removal is unregulated — weaker than Montclair's current ordinance.
Bloomfield
Chapter 535 Art. II applies only to new construction or redevelopment. Routine residential removal on built properties is not regulated.
Level 2Basic scaled replacement — DBH-scaled ratios, permit, fee-in-lieu fund; but no bond, no CO hold, no commercial differentiation
Montclair — proposed Ch. 324 ▸ enters here
1/2/3/4 trees by DBH tier. 50% Tier 1 species floor. Species naming on permits. 2.5″ caliper minimum. $450 fee. Dedicated Tree Fund. Verified planting documentation. Street-tree protection. Annual reporting. But no bond, no CO hold, no commercial differentiation, no necessity standard.
Glen Ridge
1/2/3 by tier. $450 fee-in-lieu. Refundable $100 escrow per tree, held 2 years. Ord. 1811 (2024).
West Caldwell
0.5/1/2/3 residential, 0.5/2/3/5 development. 60% canopy-removal cap for development. All-native species list. $200 fee. Ord. 1882 (2024).
Summit
1:1 for all 12″+ trees. Market-rate fee. Summit's forester may deny removal of Landmark trees entirely. 2-year monitoring. Ord. 24-3321 (2024).
Princeton
1/2/3/4 by tier. Fee-in-lieu scaled $550–$2,200 by DBH. Municipal Arborist on staff. Ord. 2025-19 (eff. Jan. 2026).
Level 3Strong scaled replacement with enforcement — ratios + bond or CO hold + meaningful big-tree protection + all-resident advisory body
Montclair — proposed + SM asks ▸ SM's asks reach here
Proposed Ch. 324 plus: CO hold restored; Extraordinary Tree necessity standard (preponderance of evidence, written Land Use Board findings); automatic 2-year survival verification; a 24-month aggregation rule and cumulative-removal multiplier for multiple trees taken from one property; urban heat island in permit criteria; Tree Fund equity prioritization for overburdened neighborhoods; resident members on the Tree Canopy Committee.
Verona
1/2/4 by tier (4 for any tree 24″+). 36″+ “extraordinary” trees: removal requires the Zoning Official's written recommendation and Township Council approval, with a duty to preserve where feasible. More than two healthy mature trees/year needs Planning Board approval. 1-year performance bond. $400 fee. Ord. 2023-06.
Westfield
Caliper-based (replacement = ½ DBH); 1/2/3/4/5 chart. CO hold: §29A-15 withholds CO sign-off until all requirements are satisfied. $500/tree 2-yr bond. All-resident Tree Preservation Commission. G.O. 2024-12.
Madison
Strongest ratios confirmed: 2/4/5/7/10/DBH-equivalent by tier. 100% native NE deciduous hardwoods. $200/tree reimbursement to homeowners who plant. Full-time Municipal Arborist. Ch. 178, Ord. 10-2025.
Level 4Comprehensive — differentiated commercial/developer ratios + strong big-tree protection + bond/CO hold
Highland Park
1/2/3 owner-occupied vs. 2/4/6 commercial/non-owner-occupied — the only confirmed NJ municipality with commercial differentiation. Council vote required for any 36″+ removal. 1-yr bond. $600/$850 fee by property type. Ch. 388 (2020).
Montclair — complete ▸ full asks + developer phase reach here
Proposed Ch. 324 + SM's second-reading asks + developer phase: differentiated ratios for commercial/non-owner-occupied properties; Required Tree Density standard; Land Use Board triggers for major development; canopy mitigation fund; resident members on the Tree Canopy Committee.
The Full Comparison
Replacement ratios & key provisions
| Municipality | Method | 6–12″ | 13–23″ | 24–35″ | 36″+ | Fee-in-lieu | Bond | CO hold | Big-tree protection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montclair — current | Flat 1:1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | $250 | No | No | None |
| Montclair — proposed | Count by tier | 1 | 2 or 1 Tier 1 | 3 (≥2 T1) | 4 (50% T1) | $450 | No | No* | LUB approval, no necessity std. |
| Highland Park | Differentiated | 1/2 | 2/4 | 2/4 | 3/6 | $600–850 | Yes 1yr | N/A | Council vote required |
| Verona | Count by tier | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4† | $400 | Yes 1yr | N/A | Council approval for 36″+ |
| Madison | Count (highest) | 2 | 4–5 | 5–10 | DBH-equiv. | $400 | ? | ? | Written STMB notice |
| Westfield | Caliper + count | 1 | 2–3 | 4 | 5 | At cost | Yes 2yr | YES ✓ | Permit for all 8″+ |
| Princeton | Count by tier | 1 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 4 | $550–2,200 | ? | ? | Enforcement review |
| Glen Ridge | Count by tier | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | $450 | $100 escrow 2yr | ? | No specific standard |
| Summit | Flat 1:1 (12″+) | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | Market | ? | ? | Forester may deny |
| West Caldwell | Differentiated | 0.5 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 3–5 | $200 | No | No | 60% canopy cap (dev.) |
*The June 9, 2026 draft includes a building-permit hold but no Certificate of Occupancy hold; restoring the CO hold is among Sustainable Montclair's asks. † Verona designates trees 36″+ as “extraordinary”: removal is not prohibited but requires the Zoning Official's written recommendation and Township Council approval, with a duty to preserve where feasible.
Side by Side
Replacement ratios by tree size
How many trees each town requires for one removed, by the diameter of the tree taken down. Fully verified towns only.
| DBH removed | Mont. current | Mont. proposed | Highland Pk (res.) | Highland Pk (comm.) | Verona | Glen Ridge | Madison | Summit | Westfield | Princeton |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6–8″ | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 8–12″ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | 1 |
| 13–16″ | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 17–19″ | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 20–23″ | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 24–30″ | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 4–5 | 2 |
| 31–35″ | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| 36–38″ | 1 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 10+ | 1† | 5 | 3 |
| 39″+ | 1 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 3 | DBH-eq. | 1† | 5 | 4 |
Montclair proposed ratios include a 50% Tier 1 (large-canopy native) species floor at 13″+ and above. † Summit is 1:1 for all 12″+ trees regardless of size — but Summit's forester may deny removal of a healthy Landmark or Specimen tree entirely.
Provision by Provision
What each stage adds
The first column is already in the June 9 draft. The next two are Sustainable Montclair's asks — some for this ordinance, the rest staged as a second, developer-focused ordinance.
Already in proposed Chapter 324
DBH-scaled replacement ratios (1/2/3/4)
Replaces the indefensible flat 1:1. The larger the tree removed, the more replacements required.
NJ precedent: Highland Park, Verona, Madison, Princeton, Glen Ridge, West Caldwell, Westfield
Tier 1 species floor (50% large-canopy natives)
Ensures replacements provide real ecological function — not just any sapling from a list.
NJ precedent: Madison (100% native hardwoods), West Caldwell (all-native list)
Species naming on every permit
Ends the blank-check “on Township list” language. Every removed and replacement tree named by species.
NJ precedent: Madison, Princeton, Verona
Dedicated Tree Fund + verified planting
Fee-in-lieu money goes to a dedicated fund. Planting must be documented within 10 business days.
NJ precedent: all comparison municipalities
Street-tree protection + building-permit hold
Street trees explicitly protected. No building permit issued until a removal permit is obtained.
NJ precedent: all comparison municipalities
Our asks — this ordinance
Certificate of Occupancy hold
Developers cannot occupy a building until replacement trees are verified as planted. The June 9 draft holds the building permit but not the Certificate of Occupancy — restoring it closes the gap.
NJ precedent: Westfield §29A-15 (verbatim CO hold confirmed)
Extraordinary Tree necessity standard
Preponderance of evidence required before any 36″+ tree is removed. Written Land Use Board findings required.
NJ precedent: Verona (Council approval for extraordinary trees); Highland Park (Council vote)
Automatic 2-year survival verification
Replaces the “upon request” photo with automatic verification — or a performance bond equivalent.
NJ precedent: Verona (1-yr bond), Westfield ($500/tree 2-yr bond), Glen Ridge ($100 escrow)
Urban heat island in permit review
Review must weigh whether a removal worsens heat-island conditions, especially in NJDEP-designated overburdened communities.
No confirmed NJ precedent — Montclair would lead
Tree Fund equity prioritization
Fee-in-lieu money directed to the lowest-canopy, highest-heat neighborhoods — not just within 1,000 feet of the removal.
No confirmed NJ precedent — Montclair would lead
24-month aggregation of removals (the key fix)
Counts all removals on a property over a rolling two-year period — by tax lot, regardless of ownership change — toward every threshold, fee, and ratio. Without it, the limits reset with each permit and can be dodged by spacing removals out. Addresses the gap, raised on 6/10, that neither draft handles multiple trees taken from the same property over time.
No confirmed NJ precedent — Montclair would lead
Cumulative-removal multiplier
Beyond two trees in 24 months, replacement obligations escalate by count: 1.5× for the 3rd–5th tree, 2× for the 6th and beyond, with all trees past the fifth required to be Tier 1 natives. Layers escalation by number on top of the existing escalation by size.
NJ precedent: Madison (steep escalating ratios)
Enhanced review for large standalone removals
A substantive second look for the biggest non-development removals, routed to the Tree Canopy Committee the ordinance already creates — not a Land Use Board, which lacks jurisdiction when no development is pending.
NJ precedent: Verona, Highland Park (heightened review for large trees)
Pre-clearing (anti-circumvention) clause
Trees cleared in anticipation of development count toward the replacement and canopy obligations of any development application filed on the property within 24 months — closing the loophole of stripping a lot before the Board ever sees it.
No confirmed NJ precedent — Montclair would lead
Our asks — developer phase (second ordinance)
Differentiated commercial/developer ratios
Higher requirements for commercial and non-owner-occupied properties, where trees are removed for profit rather than personal necessity.
NJ precedent: Highland Park (doubles commercial ratios); West Caldwell (higher development ratios)
Required Tree Density standard
Development must meet a minimum canopy density — not merely replace removed trees on a count basis.
NJ precedent: West Caldwell (60% canopy preservation cap)
Two-year development bar after tree removal
No development application may be filed for two years after any tree removal on a property (excluding dead and hazard trees) — so a lot cannot be cleared and then brought to the Board with the trees already gone.
No confirmed NJ precedent in comparison towns
A SUSTAINABLE MONTCLAIR REPORT
JUNE 2026
The Trees onYour Property
A quick guide
A plain-language guide to Chapter 324 — the rules now in force, what the draft presented on June 9 would change, and the additions still being asked for.
| WHAT WE HAVE NOWOrdinance of 2012 | THE JUNE 9 DRAFTDraft presented June 9, 2026 | WHAT WE SUGGESTProposed additions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do I need a permit to remove my tree? | Yes — any tree 8″+ or 25 ft tall. One flat rule for all. | Yes, for trees 6″+ DBH. Small & invasive trees are exempt. | Add an aggregation rule: removals over 24 months count together, per lot. |
| What if my tree is dead, sick, or hazardous? | Still need a permit, but the fee is waived for diseased or hazardous trees. | Lighter track: a Licensed Tree Expert report, not a full application. Replace 1:1; hardship waivers allowed only here. | For dead/hazard trees 24″+, require at least one Tier 1 replacement — a big lost oak shouldn't become a shrub. |
| What's the permit fee?The fee to apply. | $15 per tree. | $100 for up to 2 trees, then $50 for each additional tree. | No change proposed to the permit fee itself. |
| What's the fee in lieu of replanting?Paid only if you don't replant. | $250 per tree to the Tree Fund. | $450 per required replacement tree — so $450 to $1,350+ depending on size. | Raise the fee above real planting cost, so paying in isn't cheaper than planting. Plus a multiplier (below). |
| Do I have to replant? | One replacement tree, or pay into the fund. | Yes — 1 to 4 trees by size (see schedule below); bigger trees need "Tier 1" species. | Clear more than 2 trees in 24 months and the replacement owed (trees or fee) rises: 1.5× each, then 2×. |
The replacement schedule
What the June 9 draft requires for each tree you remove. You can plant all the trees, pay the fee for all of them, or mix — plant some and pay $450 for each one you don't.
| Tree you remove (DBH) | Trees you must plant | Fee if not planted |
|---|---|---|
| 6″–12″ · small | 1 tree | $450 |
| 13″–23″ · medium | 2 trees — or 1 Tier 1 (3″+) | $900 |
| 24″–35″ · Significant | 3 trees — at least 2 Tier 1 | $1,350 |
| 36″+ · Extraordinary | 4 trees — at least 50% Tier 1 | $1,800 |
| Dead or hazard · any size | 1 tree | $450 |
All replacement trees are 2.5″ caliper minimum. The fee is $450 per required tree, charged only for the trees you don't plant — so if you owe 4 and plant 2, you pay $900 for the other 2. The amounts above are the total if you plant none.
| What trees count as a replacement? | Any native or urban-suited species, 2–2.5″ caliper, off the Forester's list. | Nursery-grown stock from the Township list, 2.5″ caliper min., sorted into Tier 1 / Tier 2. | Replacements must contribute canopy: large removals require Tier 1 large-canopy natives; privacy screens and low-canopy plantings don't qualify. |
| Can I plant a tree that's not on the list? | Plant what you like on your own — but only a listed tree meets the rule. | Same — an off-list tree won't satisfy the replacement; the draft sets no waiver path. | Update the list yearly through an open public process, and let the Arborist OK an off-list native of equal value. |
| Where does my Tree Fund money go? | To replanting on public, school, and county property — not back to private lots. | Fees + in-lieu pay for planting, upkeep, enforcement & education — first within 1,000 ft of the removal site. | Steer money to low-canopy, heat-vulnerable neighborhoods — not just wherever removals happen, which skews wealthier. |
| Are my biggest trees protected? | No special status for large or historic trees. | Yes — Significant (24–35″) need documented efforts to preserve; Extraordinary (36″+) can be removed only if essential to permitted construction, with a TRAQ risk report. | A real necessity test + written findings; preserve specimens first before approval. |
| Who decides, and on what basis? | The Township Forester, against arboriculture guidelines. | Township Arborist or Community Services, weighing drainage, erosion, health, looks. | Add heat-island impact as a review factor; route hard calls to Sustainability, not DCS. |
| Is anyone checking the new trees live? | Plan must be done within a year. No survival check after. | 2-year survival rule, but a photo only "upon request" from the Township. | A performance bond, released only after a 2-yr health check, else forfeit to Tree Fund. |
| For a new building, when must the trees be in?The Certificate of Occupancy is the sign-off that lets a finished building be used. | No link between tree replacement and the Certificate of Occupancy. | The June 9 draft holds the building permit until trees are handled, but lets a finished building be occupied before replacements are planted. | Restore the Certificate of Occupancy hold: no sign-off until replacement trees are verified as planted. |
| For developers & large lots Where Montclair's biggest canopy losses happen — and where the draft defers the most. | |||
| Do developers replant at a higher rate? | No — same flat rules for everyone. | No — same 1/2/3/4 ratios apply to homes and commercial sites alike. | Double the ratios (2/4/6/8) for commercial & non-owner-occupied properties. |
| Is canopy protected when a site is cleared? | No development-specific tree rules. | Canopy mitigation is discretionary ("may"), tied to disturbed land; developer rules deferred. | Make it mandatory ("shall"); a Required Tree Density of 15/acre of gross tract area, crediting retained trees. |
|
A few terms, defined |
|||
| Tier 1 tree | A large-maturing shade tree — oak, tulip poplar, linden, hackberry — that grows a wide, tall canopy and delivers the most shade, stormwater, and climate benefit. |
| Tier 2 tree | A smaller or ornamental tree — dogwood, redbud, serviceberry — approved for planting but with less canopy and ecological value than a Tier 1. |
| Native tree | A species that occurs naturally in New Jersey's ecosystem — adapted to the local climate and soils, and best at supporting local birds, insects, and wildlife. |
| Invasive tree | A non-native species that spreads aggressively and harms the local ecosystem, economy, or health. On the Township's prohibited list — and exempt from permitting. |
A SUSTAINABLE MONTCLAIR GUIDEJUNE 2026
Step by Step
Removing a TreeWhat Actually Happens
The resident's path under the June 9 draft, start to finish
Follow the arrows. Two questions set your track — whether you need a permit at all, and whether the tree is dead or hazardous — and the size of the tree sets both how hard it is to get approved and how much you replant.
You want to remove a tree on your property
Is the tree 6″ or more across?small & invasive species are exempt
↓ yes — a permit is required
No → no permit neededsmall or invasive trees can be removed without one
Is it dead, sick, or hazardous?this decides which track you take
↓ no — a healthy tree, full track
Yes → lighter tracka Licensed Tree Expert report instead of a full application; replace 1:1; hardship waivers allowed only here
Notify your abutting neighborsin writing, before you file
Apply for a permitname species · mark trees · pay the fee
How big is the tree?the size sets the standard for approval
↓ then on to replacement
24–35″ · Significantyou must show reasonable efforts to preserve it through site design
36″+ · Extraordinaryremoval allowed only if essential to permitted construction with no design alternative — plus a TRAQ risk assessment
Permit issuedthen wait 10 business days before removing
What you owe depends on the size removed
Plant the replacements — by size of tree removed
6″–12″ · small1 tree
13″–23″ · medium2 trees — or 1 Tier 1
24″–35″ · Significant3 trees — ≥ 2 Tier 1
36″+ · Extraordinary4 trees — ≥ 50% Tier 1
All replacements 2.5″ caliper minimum. Plant within 12 months of removal; document the planting within 10 business days of finishing.
— or, instead of planting —
Plant the treeswithin 12 months — then document within 10 business days
Or pay in lieu$450 per required tree to the Tree Fund
If you planted: the trees must survive two yearsphoto verification, on request from the Township
Your obligation is complete
What Sustainable Montclair asks to add
- Count removals together over a rolling 24 months, per lot — clearing more than two trees raises what you owe (1.5×, then 2×).
- Exclude privacy screens and ornamentals from counting as replacements; weigh urban-heat-island impact in the review; make the 2-year survival check automatic.
- For a new building, withhold the Certificate of Occupancy until replacement trees are verified as planted.