Portland is gearing up for a major rewrite of its Tree Code, and city officials say it is about far more than trimming branches. The planned overhaul of Title 11 is pitched as a way to protect and grow Portland’s urban forest, close glaring tree-canopy gaps between neighborhoods, and toughen the city’s climate resilience as heat, pests and development pressures ramp up. The Urban Forestry Commission is set to get an early public briefing on the project at its May 21 meeting.
According to the project’s overview on the City of Portland website, this 2026 Title 11 update will build on the Portland Urban Forest Plan and focus on more equitable canopy, public health and climate resilience, clearer roles for city bureaus, and regulations that are easier to navigate. Staff are planning a phased, multi-year run of research, stakeholder conversations and impact analysis that is expected to take about two years. The city says it wants public feedback throughout, so people who live and work in different parts of Portland can weigh in on what the new rules should look like.
Urban Forestry Commission To Hear Update May 21
Portland Parks & Recreation announced the effort in a May 14 Facebook post, flagging the coming policy reboot for anyone who cares about either trees or permits, or both. The post notes that the Urban Forestry Commission’s May 21 meeting will feature the latest project briefing along with details on how the public can offer input; see Portland Parks & Recreation.
What The Update Aims To Change
The Title 11 review follows last fall’s adoption of a refreshed Urban Forest Plan that set tree-planting and equity targets and identified the code as a key lever for hitting those goals. As reported by goal to close canopy gaps in historically underserved neighborhoods, the plan also includes funding commitments aimed at backing up those ambitions…