Salt Lake City, UT Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)
Key Facts
- Sidewalk clearance
- 7 feet above grade
- Street clearance
- 10 feet above grade
- Street tree work
- Requires Urban Forestry approval
- Enforcing division
- Salt Lake City Urban Forestry
Summary
Salt Lake City requires trees and landscaping to keep 7 feet of clearance above sidewalks and 10 feet above streets, with street tree pruning controlled by Urban Forestry.
All landscaping shall: 1. Maintain a clearance from grade level to 7 feet above the sidewalk, or 10 feet above a street; ... D. Street Trees. 1. Salt Lake City's expectation is to preserve street trees. Planting, cutting, removing, pruning, and any other maintenance of street trees is subject to approval by the Salt Lake City Urban Forestry Division as described in Section 2.26.210 of this code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 40-26, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
City code sets a minimum vertical clearance for all landscaping: 7 feet above a sidewalk and 10 feet above a street, measured from grade. Property owners handle their own yard trees to that standard, but street trees in the park strip are different, planting, cutting, removing, or pruning any street tree requires Urban Forestry Division approval, and the abutting owner must contact that division to request the work.
Violations & Fines
Landscaping that fails to keep required clearance, blocks sight-distance triangles, or forms a hedge barrier between sidewalk and street violates § 21A.48.040. Pruning, cutting, or removing a street tree without Urban Forestry approval violates § 21A.48.040.D and § 2.26.210.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I trim the street tree in front of my house myself?
How high must my hedge or tree stay clear of the sidewalk?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salt Lake City
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Tree Trimming in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle tree trimming.