Bonneville County, ID Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

Section 156.031, 'Clear View of Intersection Streets,' applies in every zone that requires a front yard. It bars any obstruction taller than three feet from standing within the triangular sight area formed by the two street property lines and a line connecting points 40 feet from the intersection along each street. That three-foot cap would ordinarily prohibit a mature tree canopy in the triangle, but the section carves out 'a reasonable number of trees pruned at least seven feet above curb or grade or high enough to permit unobstructed view, whichever is greater.' In practice, a property owner on a corner lot can keep trees within the sight triangle only if their lowest branches are trimmed to at least seven feet above the curb or ground, or higher still if that height is not enough to give drivers a clear line of sight through the intersection. The same section carries a parallel exception for gasoline pumps at service stations.

This clearance duty sits in Chapter 156's zoning regulations rather than the Chapter 153 right-of-way permit chapter, so it applies based on where the property sits relative to the intersection, not on whether the tree happens to be in the public right-of-way. A tree that also stands in the right-of-way would separately need a § 153.04(B)(3) right-of-way permit before it is trimmed or removed, layering the intersection clearance duty on top of the permit requirement for any work performed within the paved right-of-way itself.