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Parkway Tree Trimming 

It is estimated that the Village owns and maintains over 7,000 parkway trees. The minimum diameter of these trees are 2.5" as measured six inches off the ground, but these trees can be as large as six feet in diameter and can be 80 feet tall. Tree trimming is performed in order to maintain a healthy stock of trees and to keep residents, pedestrians and motorists safe from dead or weak branches. If a property owner wants their tree to be trimmed, they can make a Tree Trimming Requestand have the Public Works Department trim their parkway trees.

The Public Works Department only trims parkway trees for public safety or the health of the tree. This can be initiated either by a Department directive or by property owner request. The Department will only trim trees that are in the Public Right of Way (also known as the Parkway). This is commonly defined as 33 feet out from the center of the road for side streets (mostly 2 lane streets) and 50 feet from the center of the road for major streets (mostly 4 lane streets).

The Village does not permit private contractors or other agencies to trim Village trees. Only trained Public Works staff are permitted to trim parkway trees.  The Village Municipal Code prohibits the destruction of any parkway tree.

Requests will be responded to in the order in which they are received.  

2009/2010 Pruning Cycle
The Village is in the third year of a five year tree pruning cycle to improve street tree maintenance in the community. As part of the program street trees in twenty percent of the Village will be pruned each year for five years. In the sixth year the cycle will start over. This program ensures that every public tree in the Village is maintained and inspected on a regular basis. It also increases the Villages ability to identify and remove high-risk trees in a more timely fashion.

The Village's right-of-way extends for 33 feet from the center of the road. In most cases this is sixteen feet from the back of the curb. Trees within this limit, regardless of who planted them, are the property of the Village. Care will be taken to respect landscapes that have been installed in the right-of-way by residents.

The two primary pruning goals are to remove significant deadwood in the crown of the tree and to remove low hanging limbs over the street. Pruning of live limbs will be kept to a minimum.

Village forestry crews will be trimming area 6 and 7 during this fall/winter. Notification letters will be distributed to residents 2 weeks in advance of trimming.