Scottsdale, AZ Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)
Key Facts
- Duty holder
- Owner of property adjacent to right-of-way
- Listed duty
- "Mowing and trimming plants and trees"
- Hand tools
- No authorization needed
- Trucks/heavy equipment
- Written city authorization required
- Interference ban
- No tree/hedge/shrub blocking right-of-way use
- Fine for non-compliance
- $400.00 minimum per day
Summary
Scottsdale makes the owner of property next to a street responsible for mowing and trimming the plants and trees on the adjacent right-of-way, and separately bars any tree, hedge or shrub from interfering with public use of that right-of-way at all.
The owner of property adjacent to the right-of-way shall conduct routine property maintenance to keep the property and adjacent right-of-way in an orderly and safe condition, including:(1)Mowing and trimming plants and trees,(2)Weeding,(3)Replacing dead plants,(4)Removing litter and debris, and(5)Sweeping.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 47-47(c) puts routine right-of-way upkeep on the adjacent property owner, listing mowing and trimming plants and trees first among the required tasks, alongside weeding, replacing dead plants, removing litter and debris, and sweeping. Hand-tool maintenance needs no city authorization, but Sec. 47-47(e) requires written city authorization before using trucks or large mechanical equipment in the right-of-way to do that trimming. Sec. 47-47(f) extends the duty to the full strip from the back of curb, pavement edge or dirt shoulder out to the property line on street frontages, to easement right-of-way out to its boundary, and to the adjacent alley to its centerline.
A separate rule bites harder: Sec. 47-46(b)(2) makes it unlawful, absent written city authorization, to place or maintain any tree, hedge, shrub or other plant on property adjacent to the right-of-way that interferes with public use of it, and Sec. 47-46(e)(5) restates flatly that no hedge, shrub, tree or similar plant is allowed to interfere with public uses of the right-of-way. If an owner does not keep growth clear, Sec. 47-47(g) lets the city perform the maintenance itself, including by contracting with others, though the city's own obligation to do so must be in writing. The Right-of-Way Supervisor administers this chapter and can direct removal of any encroaching growth under Sec. 47-45(b).
Violations & Fines
Failing to trim trees or plants that interfere with the right-of-way is enforceable as a civil offense: Sec. 47-102(i) sets a $400.00 minimum per-day fine for failing to act where an act is required under the chapter, and Sec. 47-102(e) sets the same $400.00 per-day minimum for failing to maintain or remove an encroachment as directed by the city. Sec. 47-104 also authorizes the city to remove overgrown trees or shrubs itself and bill the owner for the cost, plus a late charge if the bill goes unpaid past 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to trim the tree hanging over the sidewalk in Scottsdale?
Can I use a bucket truck to trim my trees over the street in Scottsdale?
What if I never trim the trees blocking the sidewalk in Scottsdale?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Scottsdale
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