New Rochelle, NY Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

Section 301-12, part of Chapter 301's Article II on trees on City property, puts the trimming duty on the property owner, not the City, whenever branches or vegetation on a lot adjacent to a public highway or place project into that highway or place. The rule sets two numeric floors: tree branches must clear seven feet above the pavement, and bushes or other vegetation may not exceed three feet, echoing the corner-lot sight-line standard at § 301-1, which bars anything over three feet or branches lower than seven feet within 20 feet of an intersection.

The Commissioner of the Department of Public Works, who under § 301-3 holds exclusive jurisdiction over trees and shrubs on City highways and public places, may raise or lower the standard where the geometry of a particular road requires it, so a curve or narrow lane can justify a stricter clearance. Enforcement is a two-step process: the Commissioner first serves written notice on the owner to trim the offending growth; if the owner neglects or refuses to comply within one week of that notice, the City or its representative may perform the trimming directly and collect the cost of the work from the owner, turning a code violation into a billable charge rather than only a criminal fine.

Because Article II also governs permits to remove or prune City-owned trees under §§ 301-4 and 301-5, a resident who wants to cut back a City tree rather than their own overhanging growth still needs a written DPW permit first.