City Tree Trimming Notice

The City of Urbana Arbor Division will be performing street tree pruning starting this spring/summer. The pruning is to provide adequate clearance over streets, sidewalks, driveways and homes, as well as, maintain the health and vigor of city trees. This pruning will follow city tree ordinance standards and be completed by Arbor Division Certified Arborists. These standards include minimum clearances of sixteen feet over streets, nine feet over sidewalks, and ten feet over driveways and houses. The pruning standards also require corrective pruning and repair and report of hazardous trees that cannot be repaired to the City Arborist. Trees of all size classes will be pruned to the same clearance standards except for younger trees which will be gradually trained over several years. All other pruning shall be typical of city standards for pruning by size class category. For example with large trees (25" trunk diameter and above) we remove dead or weakened limbs that are two inches and greater in diameter. In medium sized trees (9" to 24" trunk diameters) we remove or prune limbs that are 1" and larger, for trees smaller than 8" we focus on limbs that are 1/2" and larger in size.

In order to prune all city trees in the shortest cycle possible there will be no additional work above and beyond these standards.

The area to be pruned is bound by: Michigan Avenue to the north, Florida Avenue to the south, Lincoln Avenue to the west and Vine Street to the east.
All perimeter streets are to have trees on both sides of the street trimmed.

Please keep streets that arborist crews are working on clear of any parked vehicles and honor posted NO PARKING SIGNS. Also please do not leave parked vehicles in driveways that are under parkway trees while street tree pruning work is being completed.

All citizen pruning requests or comments will need to be made through the Forestry Supervisor (384-2303) or City Arborist (384-2393) since field staff will not entertain resident requests without supervisor approval.

NOTIFICATION OF PRIVATE TREES AND SHRUBS GROWING OVER SIDEWALK OR STREET

City crews are directed to remove any low limbs from private trees / shrubs that are 9 feet or lower over sidewalks and 16 feet or lower over streets. Property owners are asked to maintain private trees / shrubs so they are one foot behind the sidewalk, a minimum of nine feet over sidewalk and a minimum of sixteen feet over street. Also please note any private plant material interfering with street lights, fire hydrants, traffic or pedestrian visibility (driveways and intersections), or city signage may also be subject to pruning.

If you are concerned your private trees or shrubs will be pruned by city crews and you want to complete this clearance pruning yourself but need additional guidance please call the Forestry Supervisor at 384-2303 or the City Arborist at 384-2393.