Albany, OR Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)
Key Facts
- Clearance over street
- 14 feet above the street surface
- Clearance over sidewalk
- Eight feet above the sidewalk surface
- Responsible party
- Owner of the overhanging private tree
- City authority
- City can prune private trees blocking lights or signs
- Near high voltage lines
- Electric utility keeps limbs within 10 feet clear
- Street tree pruning permit
- City Forester permit, valid 180 days
Summary
In the City of Albany, Oregon, the owner of a private tree overhanging a street or right-of-way must prune it to leave a clear space of 14 feet above the street surface and eight feet above the sidewalk surface. The owner must also remove dead, diseased, or dangerous trees and limbs, and the City can prune where the owner does not.
Every owner of any tree, located on private property, overhanging any street or right-of-way within the City shall prune the branches so the branches shall not obstruct the light from any street lamp or obstruct the view of any street intersection, traffic sign, or traffic control device, and so that there shall be a clear space of 14 feet above street surface, and eight feet above the sidewalk surface. Said owner shall remove all dead, diseased, or dangerous trees, or broken or decayed limbs that constitute a menace to the safety of the public. The City shall have the right to prune any tree or shrub on private property when it interferes with the light from any street lamp, or interferes with visibility of any traffic control device or sign or vision clearance area at intersections and driveways.
Full Breakdown
Albany Municipal Code § 7.98.130, Pruning, corner clearance, puts the burden on the owner of any tree located on private property that overhangs a street or right-of-way in the City of Albany, Linn County, Oregon. The owner must prune the branches so they do not obstruct the light from any street lamp or the view of any street intersection, traffic sign, or traffic control device. The numeric clearances are 14 feet above the street surface and eight feet above the sidewalk surface.
The same section requires the owner to remove all dead, diseased, or dangerous trees, and broken or decayed limbs that constitute a menace to the safety of the public. If the owner does not act, the City has the right to prune any tree or shrub on private property when it interferes with the light from a street lamp, with visibility of a traffic control device or sign, or with a vision clearance area at intersections and driveways.
Tree limbs that grow within 10 feet of high voltage electrical conductors are the electric utility company’s job to keep clear, in compliance with any applicable franchise agreements and § 7.98.110, the private utility tree policy. That policy requires a permit from the City Forester before a private utility prunes a tree in or overhanging a street, and the utility must give the abutting owner written, printed, or verbal notice first, except in an emergency.
Pruning a street tree needs a permit. Section 7.98.040(1) requires a permit from the City Forester before planting, pruning, or otherwise affecting a street tree, and permits stay valid for 180 days after issuance. Under § 7.98.160, a tree contractor working on street or public trees must have an arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture on staff, or the City Forester must approve the contractor first. Storm damage can suspend permits: under § 7.98.100 the City Manager can declare an emergency suspension of the pruning and removal permit requirements, and no single declaration can exceed 21 days.
Violations & Fines
Section 7.98.220 makes anyone who violates the code’s rules on pruning, trimming, or removal of trees strictly liable, with no proof of criminal intent required, and punishes it under the general penalty in Chapter 1.04 AMC: a civil penalty of not more than $1,000 for a violation, or for a misdemeanor a fine of not more than $2,500 or imprisonment not to exceed one year, or both. Each affected tree is a separate offense, and each day a violation continues is a separate offense under § 1.04.010.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high must tree branches be over an Albany street?
Who trims trees near power lines in Albany?
Can the City of Albany trim my tree for me?
Do I need a permit to prune a street tree in Albany?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Albany
Compare Albany to another location·View the Oregon landscaping rules overview
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