Pottstown, PA Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

Section 105 of Chapter 25 puts the primary duty for street tree upkeep on the property owner, who bears the cost of maintaining and inspecting trees on their land and must remove defective conditions as they arise. The core clearance rule requires every person owning or occupying property in the Borough to keep trees trimmed so there is at least 14 feet of clearance above any street or alley and at least seven feet over any sidewalk. Corner lots carry an additional rule: trees, hedges and growth at intersecting streets must be kept to no more than three feet above curb level for 30 feet in every direction from the property-line intersection, whether the growth sits between the curb and lot line or entirely on private land.

Section 105 also bars topping except where a utility company requires it to protect wires, and it requires stump removal to at least four inches below grade. If an owner is notified of an obstruction from an untrimmed street tree and does not correct it within 45 days, the Borough may fix the problem itself and bill the owner for the full cost. Where an owner fails to maintain a tree at all, Section 105 lets the Borough step in to prune, maintain or remove it directly, particularly where the tree threatens sewers, power lines, gas lines or other public improvements.