Tree Removal Policy
Trees are removed from city streets, parks and right of ways at no charge to property owners for the following reasons:
1. Tree health has declined beyond repair by proper arboricultural methods.
2. Public safety is jeopardized by unsafe structure that cannot be corrected by generally accepted arboricultural practices.
3. Street reconstruction design that would require excessive root removal that would cause an unsafe condition.
In cases where private property construction or building design requires tree removal, the City Forester may choose to grant a tree removal permit to property owners. In this situation, the cost of the removal is paid for by the property owner.
Generally speaking, raised sidewalk panels and roots in sewers are not sufficient reasons to remove a tree. This is because these situations can usually be mitigated by either altering the design of the sidewalk, or in the case of roots in sewers, addressing the source of the problem which is usually a failing sewer lateral.
For more information about sewer and root conflicts, please read this document: Sewer Lateral and Root Conflicts.