Street Trees are removed at no cost to the property owner, provided the removal meets certain criteria. Other removals are at the property owner's expense. Removal of a tree can only be requested by the property owner, not a renter or neighbor.
Request for removal is evaluated based upon:
- hazardous conditions such as internal rot or splits in significant limbs;
- presence of disease;
- severe lean with uneven weight distribution;
- uprooting condition
Approved reasons for removing a tree:
- for a major sewer line repair that requires tree removal to complete the repair;
- multiple conditions that cannot be corrected through trimming or root pruning;
- if a tree is an imminent hazard, City crews will remove the tree as soon as possible
Reasons for not automatically removing a tree:
- if sidewalk is not being repaired, and tree can be effectively root pruned to minimize future damage;
- tree roots in a sewer line usually do not qualify for the removal since trees rarely cause a break in a sewer line. Sewer lines usually fail due to age, improper installation or ground movement. If the property owner completes the necessary repairs there will not be further damage;
- damaged sidewalk, curb, or gutter is not an automatic justification for removal unless they are being replaced; then the tree may either be removed or retained, whatever is the most prudent approach;
- possible alternatives to tree removal such as curving the sidewalk around the tree will be explored before a tree is removed.
If a property owner wishes to remove a tree, the removal is:
- at the property owner's expense
- can only be done with City issued permit (no fee permit)
- property owner responsible for all costs, including stump removal
City removals are scheduled by the Landscape Maintenance Division. The average backlog is six months.
To request Street Tree Removal, please contact the Landscape Maintenance Division at 510-583-8906 or submit a request online.
You may also submit a service request for this item in the 'Make a Service Request' area below.
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