Merced, CA Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

Street trees in Merced, those in the public right-of-way and tree easements, are City-maintained. According to the City's Public Works Street Tree Division, "Residents can trim back small branches within their reach from the ground for sidewalk clearance. Any other trimming on street trees is the city's responsibility and shall only be performed by City forestry crews." That means a homeowner cannot hire a private company to top, shape, or heavily prune the parkway tree in front of their home. The City prunes street trees on a rotating area schedule: Merced is divided into roughly 80 quarter-mile sections, and about 8 to 12 sections are serviced each year based on need and budget. City crews follow internationally accepted pruning standards, and the City states it will never "top" a tree. Right-of-way and tree easements typically extend about 8 to 10 feet behind the curb, even where no sidewalk is present, so trees in the strip between sidewalk and street are usually City trees. For pruning of hazardous limbs, conflicts with streetlights or power lines, or emergencies, residents are directed to call Public Works at (209) 385-6800. Trees entirely on private property, behind the right-of-way line, are the owner's responsibility to maintain, subject to the nuisance rules for dead or hazardous trees.