Middleton, WI Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

05(7) of the City Forester and Forestry Management chapter sets the trimming standard that applies City-wide to trees and shrubs on either public or private property whenever they overhang a public right-of-way. The lowest branches must be kept clear at least fourteen feet above the ground, and clearance from any sidewalk to overhanging branches cannot be less than ten feet. Shrubs planted on private property next to a sidewalk must be pruned so they do not encroach on the walk. Trees must also be trimmed to allow proper diffusion of light from public street lamps.

The City Forester has discretion to waive the fourteen-foot rule for newly planted trees if he or she determines the tree does not interfere with public travel, obstruct street lighting, or endanger public safety. 06(1), which bars anyone from breaking, injuring, or destroying a tree or shrub, in a public or private area, without the owner's permission, and requires contractors to erect protective barriers around public trees before construction begins. 05(8), separately caps growth at street corners and intersections at thirty inches within the 'clear sight triangle,' so a homeowner whose corner lot has both an overhanging branch and a hedge near an intersection may need to address both standards at once.

Both provisions are enforced by the City Forester, who can issue written notice ordering an owner to trim or remove the obstruction, with City crews doing the work and billing the owner if the deadline is missed.