New Berlin, WI Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)
Key Facts
- Street clearance
- 14 feet minimum above streets
- Truck-route clearance
- 16 feet minimum above truck thoroughfares
- Sidewalk clearance
- 10 feet minimum above sidewalks and paths
- Waiver
- City Forester may waive for newly planted trees
- Governing section
- New Berlin Code of Ordinances § 185-8
- Enforcement
- Daily forfeiture under § 1-18, separate offense per day
Summary
New Berlin requires trees in public areas to be pruned so limbs and branches keep a minimum 14-foot clearance above streets, 16 feet above truck thoroughfares, and 10 feet above sidewalks and paths, with the City Forester able to waive the standard for newly planted trees that do not interfere with travel or safety.
Trees shall be maintained to prevent the creation of a hazard because of growth, age, condition or disease or obstruction of streets, signs, signals or intersections. Limbs and branches shall be maintained to provide a minimum clearance of 14 feet above streets, except truck thoroughfares which shall have a minimum clearance of 16 feet, and ten feet above sidewalks and paths. The City Forester may waive the requirements of this subsection for newly planted trees if the trees do not interfere with public travel or endanger public safety.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 3 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Section 185-8 of the New Berlin Code of Ordinances governs maintenance of trees growing in the City's Public Areas, defined elsewhere in Chapter 185 to include streets, boulevards, sidewalks, alleys and other City-owned or City-leased land. " The City Forester, appointed by the Mayor under Section 185-4 and trained in municipal arboriculture, may waive this clearance requirement for newly planted trees when the tree does not interfere with public travel or endanger public safety, recognizing that a young tree cannot immediately meet the mature-canopy standard.
Responsibility for meeting the clearance runs with whoever controls the tree: Section 185-2 makes clear that owners of private property abutting a street area must keep any tree, shrub or plant on that area from becoming a hazard or impediment to travel or vision, even though the chapter's disclaimer clause shields the City itself from liability for tree conditions. Work that brings a tree into compliance, including pruning to restore the 14-foot and 10-foot clearances, still requires City Forester approval under Section 185-18 if the tree sits in a Public Area or the City right-of-way, and major alterations, defined as removing more than 20% of a tree's branches or mass, receive the same scrutiny as full removal.
Violations & Fines
Failing to maintain the required 14-foot street, 16-foot truck-route, or 10-foot sidewalk clearance is enforced as a violation of Chapter 185 under Section 185-22, punishable by the general forfeiture set at Section 1-18 of the Municipal Code, with each day the low clearance continues counted as a separate offense. The City Forester may also issue a written order requiring correction of the encroachment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much clearance does a tree need over a New Berlin street?
Who is responsible for trimming a boulevard tree to the required height?
Does a newly planted tree have to meet the 14-foot clearance right away?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Berlin
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How other cities in Waukesha County handle tree trimming.