Green Bay, WI Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)
Key Facts
- Duty falls on
- the property owner
- Trigger
- blocks streetlight or sightline
- City remedy
- prune and bill owner
- Penalty range
- $25-$1,500+ per § 28-37
Summary
Property owners must prune any tree or shrub overhanging a Green Bay street or right-of-way before it blocks streetlights, sightlines, or sidewalk and street passage.
(a)The owner of any tree or shrub overhanging any street or right-of-way within the City shall prune the tree or shrub before it interferes with the proper spread of light along the street from a streetlight or interferes with visibility of any traffic control device or sign or sight triangle at intersections or interferes with the passage of pedestrians or vehicles in the public right-of-way.
Full Breakdown
Section 28-35(a) requires the owner of a tree or shrub overhanging a street or right-of-way to prune it before it interferes with streetlight illumination, blocks visibility of a traffic sign or intersection sight triangle, or obstructs pedestrians or vehicles in the right-of-way. If the owner doesn't act, the Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department may enter and prune it without compensating the owner, then bill the owner for the cost.
Violations & Fines
The City can perform the pruning itself and charge the owner for its expense under Section 28-35(a)(1)-(2); other violations of the tree article can draw a forfeiture of $25 to $1,500 or more under Section 28-37(b).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to trim a tree that blocks a stop sign in Green Bay?
Does this cover trees over the sidewalk too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Green Bay
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Tree Trimming in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Brown County handle tree trimming.