Frederick, MD Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

Section 22-9 places the trimming duty squarely on the owner of the real estate the tree grows on, not the city, and sets numeric clearance standards rather than a vague 'keep it clear' rule: limbs may not hang closer than nine feet above a sidewalk or fifteen feet above a street or alley, and trees may not obscure street lamps, traffic signals, or signs. When a tree violates the clearance standard, the city does not have to remove it immediately; instead it must mail written notice to the owner's address as listed on the assessment records, giving the owner five days to trim or remove the tree.

Only after the owner fails to act within that five-day window does the section allow the city to remove or trim the tree itself and bill the reasonable cost back to the owner. Failing to comply within the notice period is a municipal infraction under Section 22-9, carrying a fine of up to $100. This clearance duty works alongside Section 22-8, which separately bars anyone from cutting, belting, destroying, or injuring a tree on a public street, park, or public place, or on private property without the owner's consent, backed by its own $25 municipal infraction fine.

Together the two sections protect existing trees from damage while still requiring owners to trim back growth that endangers sight lines or blocks pedestrian and vehicle clearance.