Pruning for Visibility, Safety, and Clearance
Overgrown trees and shrubs endanger us all when they block our view of traffic signs, pedestrians, or other vehicles. It is the adjacent property owner’s responsibility to keep trees and other plants in the right-of-way (the planting strip between the sidewalk and the curb) from blocking visibility within transportation corridors. Remember that a free pruning permit from Urban Forestry is required before any type of pruning on trees in the city right-of-way (usually the planting strip between the sidewalk and the curb).
Sidewalks disrupted by tree roots
Sidewalks disrupted by tree roots
To report a sidewalk that is being disrupted by tree roots and is a hazard that needs to be repaired, call 503-823-1711
Stop signs
To report tree branches blocking stop signs, call 503-823-7233
Street corners
All intersections must have clear visibility for pedestrians and vehicles-even where no traffic signs or signals are present. When the City is notified of a visibility problem, the adjacent property owner is contacted as a reminder to keep nearby trees and shrubs trimmed. To report a tree blocking visibility when the tree is in the public right-of-way (the planting strip between the sidewalk and the curb), call Urban Forestry at 503-823-8733 (TREE)
Street lights
To report tree branches blocking street lights, call 503-865-5267
Streets & sidewalks
To ensure safe passage for everyone, tree limbs must hang no lower than 7.5 feet above the sidewalk, 11 feet above residential streets, and 14 feet above main arterial streets. It is the adjacent property owner's responsibility to maintain the trees in the public right-of-way (the planting strip between the sidewalk and the curb). To report a tree blocking visibility when the tree is in the public right-of-way, call Urban Forestry at 503-823-8733 (TREE).
Trees in medians
To report a tree located in a street median that needs pruning, call the Bureau of Maintenance at 503-823-1700
Trees on private property
To report a tree located on private property that has branches that are hanging too low over a street or public right-of-way, call the Bureau of Development Services code enforcement hotline at 503-823-2633
Trees & utilities
Never attempt to prune a tree that has grown into high voltage wires. The utility companies prune trees under high voltage power lines on a regular schedule. If a tree or tree branch is leaning on a high voltage wire, call your utility company immediately.
Portland General Electric (PGE) – 503-228-6322
Pacific Power & Light (PP&L) – 1-888-221-7070