Yerevan City Law on Protecting Trees during Construction
Yerevan City Council Resolution No. 405-N from 16.03.2012 establishes a comprehensive set of mandatory "additional conditions" for construction projects within the city, including specific clauses that transform tree protection into a binding legal obligation.
For Kanach Yerevan, this document is the definitive checklist for monitoring active construction sites. Because it incorporates strict tree protection amendments (such as mandatory fencing and root zone protection), it transforms tree care from a voluntary good deed into a binding legal obligation.
Key takeaways related to trees
If you see a construction site which violates these regulations, they are not just being negligent, they break a city law. Please report the violation to the municipality using this instruction.
[1] Physical protection of tree trunks. The developer must "box in" individual trees with wooden planks or rigid fencing that stands at least 1.5 meters high and is placed at least 0.5 meters away from the tree trunk (7.11.բ).
[2] Physical protection of green zones. The developer must implement rigid physical barriers to prevent mechanical damage to other plants (7.11), including fencing off entire green zones with rigid materials at least 1.5 meters high (7.11.ա).
[3] Root protection. Developers are banned from adding soil fill or scraping away soil near the roots. The specific protected radius is defined as 2 meters from the trunk for trees with a diameter up to 15cm, and 3 meters for trees larger than 15cm (7.11.ե).
[4] Forbidden root zone activities. To ensure the long-term health of the trees, heavy machinery that causes soil compaction is prohibited within 1.5 meters of the canopy (7.11.գ). Additionally, inside this zone, it is forbidden to store construction materials, park heavy machinery, or mix concrete and asphalt (7.11.գ).
[5] Chemical protection. If mixing concrete near the protection zone is unavoidable, the ground must be covered with a thick waterproof tarp to prevent chemical runoff from seeping into the soil and damaging the root systems (7.11.գ).
[6] Mandatory watering and washing. During the active growing and hot season from May through September, the developer is legally obligated to water the trees and bushes at least once every 3 days (7.11.գ). If the construction process generates significant dust, the greenery must also be washed via sprinkling at least once every 7 days (7.11.գ).
[7] Transparency and planning. The developer must include a detailed survey in the site organization plan that marks every individual tree and bush located on public land within the construction zone (7.3). Additionally, the developer is required to install a visible information board at the site entrance that displays a color rendering of the final landscaping (7.5.ա) and explicitly lists the number and types of trees existing before construction versus those planned for the future (7.5.ժա).
Consequences of violations
Violations of these requirements are subject to administrative responsibility under the RA Code of Administrative Offenses. Two main articles are typically applicable:
- Article 157.15: specifically covers the violation of "additional conditions" for construction in Yerevan (established by Resolution 405-N). The fine is between 30,000 and 50,000 AMD for violating environmental protection conditions (Part 1), or 70,000 to 100,000 AMD if viewed as a violation of site organization/sanitary conditions (Part 3).
- Article 157 (Part 2): covers general violations of the rules for the protection and use of public green spaces in Yerevan. The fine is between 50,000 and 200,000 AMD.
The authority to impose these fines lies with the Mayor of Yerevan or authorized municipal officials (Article 219.1).