SERVICES | TREES & LANDSCAPING - TREE MAINTENANCE - TREE PERMITS

Clearance Trimming and Obtaining a Trim Permit
The City currently provides trimming of street trees as required for visibility of traffic control signs and removal of the dead street trees. It is the responsibility of the property owner, under the San Jose Municipal Code, that he/she maintain the tree, shrubs, etc., in a condition that does not pose a hazard to the general public. Before trimming a street tree, a tree-trimming permit must be obtained from the Department of Transportation at no charge. The City Arborist is also obliged to notify the property owners by letter to remove any street tree clearance obstruction, at their expense.

Tree Removal and Application for a Removal Permit
The City removes dead or extremely unsound street trees about 3-6 months after inspection. A property owner may also apply to the Department of Transportation for removal of a living street tree.

A no-fee permit for the removal of a living street tree may or may not be issued after an inspection of the tree which shows the tree to be:

• Seriously diseased.
• Dead, dying, or in a hazardous condition.
• An undesirable species.
• Interfering with high-tension electrical lines and the problem cannot be corrected by tree trimming.
• Causing repeated concrete damage after the property owner has root-pruned and deep-watered the tree.
• Causing repeated sewer damage and the problem cannot be corrected by any other means.

If a removal permit is issued, a designated 15-gallon size replacement tree must be installed. All costs associated with this permit are to be paid for by the adjacent property owner.

Note: Removal of trees over 18" inches in diameter from private property requires a permit from the City Planning Department, (408) 277-4576.

Notice:
Effective January 1997, the City began implementation of an Administrative Citation process to enforce existing ordinances intended to preserve the city's Urban Forest. This process establishes a schedule of fines for individuals or contractors who prune or remove street trees without a permit or violate the terms of an issued permit.

Planting Permit
A property owner may purchase and plant street tree(s) in the public right-of-way after obtaining a planting permit from the Department of Transportation. There is no charge for this permit. The designated tree and size will be on the permit. A root barrier is also recommended.

Tree Trimming Permit
Street tree trimming permits may be obtained from the Arborist Office. A trimming permit is not required if the property owner elects to use a registered tree service company who has agreed to prune by the City's pruning standard. Here is a list of those companies currently registered: Registered Tree Service Companies