Lancaster County sets no tree-trimming rule. Under the PA Shade Tree Act, a municipality's shade-tree commission or public works has custody of trees in the public right-of-way; private-yard trimming is largely unregulated but you own the abutting duty.
There is no county tree-trimming ordinance. Trees in the public right-of-way fall to your municipality under Pennsylvania's Shade Tree Act (Act of 1907, 53 P.S. §2811 et seq.), which gives an appointed shade-tree commission exclusive custody and control to plant, remove, maintain, protect, and care for shade trees on public highways. In the City of Lancaster all work on trees in the public right-of-way requires a permit from the City Arborist under Chapter 273. Trimming trees entirely on your own private property is generally not permit-regulated, though you may not cross a neighbor's line.
Trimming or removing a right-of-way/street tree without the required municipal permit is a code violation; summary fines and restoration costs are set by each municipality's tree ordinance.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Lancaster, PA
The City of Lancaster prohibits loud, disturbing, or unnecessary noise across the city, with stricter standards during nighttime quiet hours of 10:00 PM to 7...
Lancaster, PA
Lancaster regulates on-street parking through Chapter 263 of the City Code and the Lancaster Parking Authority. Most downtown blocks are metered or permit-on...
Lancaster, PA
Lancaster's Zoning Code caps residential fences at 4 feet in front yards and 6 feet in side and rear yards, with extra rules in the city's designated Heritag...
Lancaster, PA
Lancaster requires dogs to be leashed and under control of their owner whenever off the owner's property. Chapter 97 of the City Code works in tandem with th...
Lancaster, PA
Pennsylvania Act 43 of 2017 (72 P.S. §9401) legalized consumer-grade (1.4G) fireworks statewide for adults 18+, but Lancaster's dense rowhouse fabric makes d...
See how Lancaster's tree trimming rules stack up against other locations.
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