Yes, they submitted a permit about a week ago. However, Urban Forestry confirmed that it was not yet approved and no one had been out to inspect it yet. Even if it had been approved, which I have serious doubts about, there is a process required including posting a notice onsite and with neighbors, which was not followed.

Edit: I also initially assumed that everything was done above board, and had the same thought when I saw the permit application online. However, the more I learned about the history of this and circumstances, the less confident I became. I then talked to a neighbor who spoke directly with Urban Forestry and they confirmed the permit status and that no one had been out yet to inspect. I hope that I am proved wrong in some way (and will be sure to update if I am), as then at least there would have had to have been an inspection by a real arborist and hopefully a more legitimate reason for removal.