Shade Tree Commission

Row of Trees on a SidewalkMeetings

  • 9 am
  • 1st Monday of every month with the exception of July and December
  • 2nd Monday in September due to the Labor Day holiday
  • Hanover Municipal Building 

Please check the calendar for cancellations.

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.

View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes

Members

  • Jill Rohrbaugh, Chairman
  • Joel Weaver
  • Jane West

Overview

On January 28, 1966, the Council of the Borough of Hanover created a Shade Tree Commission, whose primary responsibilities include the placement of new street trees, recommending desirable varieties, overseeing trimming and maintaining existing street trees, and removing undesirable or diseased trees. The Tree Commission is composed of three citizens appointed by the Borough Council for a term of three years. In 2001, the Borough of Hanover was officially designated as a "Tree City USA" by the National Arbor Day Foundation for the Shade Tree Commission's continuing excellence in the management of tree maintenance and plantings within the Borough's public right-of-ways.

The Permit System

A permit shall be obtained before any tree is planted or removed in or along any public street or right-of-way. A permit is also needed before any work for the care, pruning, removal, and trimming of any tree in or upon the public streets is done. The purpose of the permit is to ensure that acceptable trees are planted, the placement of these meet Borough safety standards, and that the existing trees are properly trimmed and maintained. Permits are available at the Borough Office in the Municipal Building, 44 Frederick Street, or online.

Tree Trimming or Removal

All Borough street trees are maintained by the Public Works Department. If you have a street tree that you feel needs trimmed or removed, just fill out a permit to alert the Tree Commission of the problem. Homeowners, however, may perform needed trimming or removal by their own qualified tree maintenance people. A permit must be submitted and be approved by the Tree Commission before this work can be started. No "topping" of street trees is allowed, additional guidelines available.

Concerned About Tree Branches in Electrical Wires

Please call Met-Ed at this 800-545-7741 to be put on their customer work list and your concerns will be addressed by their staff in a timely manner. (Follow prompts until the end and ask for Representative).

Permit

Did you know you may fill out a Shade Tree Commission Permit Application to apply to plant a tree yourself or have our Public Works Department purchase and plant a tree within the public right-of-way?

Met Ed - Public Works Tree Planting 4 10 23 (4)

Met-Ed/First Energy Arborist Stacy Gautsch and Public Works Director AJ Grimm on April 10, 2023 tree planting at 234-236 Baltimore Street in coordination with Arbor Day 2023.

Met-Ed/First Energy paid for 3 Okame Cherry trees to be planted in this area and the Hanover Borough Public Works Department planted the trees with Stacy's assistance.  This effort is being conducted in conjunction with Hanover's Annual Tree City USA recertification and Met-Ed's Tree Line USA designation.

Working together to help beautify our downtown!