Kokomo, IN Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

The trimming duty in § 97.07 falls on whoever manages the lot, not just the titleholder: "the owner or occupant of any lot or parcel of ground, or any other person having the management of such lot or ground." The 15-foot clearance applies to any shade tree standing on a street that fronts or borders the parcel, keeping branches above truck and pedestrian traffic on Kokomo's public streets. A separate, stricter rule sits nearby in § 97.52: trees inside a "critical visibility zone," the sight triangle behind a stop line at an intersection, must stay trimmed to just 8 feet, and shrubbery in that same zone cannot exceed 36 inches, because low branches there block a driver's view of cross traffic within 200 feet of the intersection.

Both provisions carry their own '75 Code lineage (§ 22-9 and § 22-95) but are enforced today as printed in Chapter 97. Because § 97.07 sets no automatic notice period, the city typically issues a compliance request before citing; § 97.54 gives violators of the visibility-zone rules 14 days to correct after notification. There is no permit or fee to trim a tree under this chapter, only the obligation to keep it clear. Owners who dispute a citation can raise the matter through the same code-enforcement channel that issues the notice, since the chapter's general fine authority runs through § 97.99 rather than a dedicated board hearing.