Shoreline, WA Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

SMC § 20.20.036 defines 'Nuisance Vegetation' to include any trees, plants, shrubs, or vegetation that overhang a sidewalk or street, or that sit on the abutting property or right-of-way, in a way that obstructs or impairs full use of the sidewalk or street, including interference with drivers' or pedestrians' clear sightlines or with utility poles, wires, pipes, and fixtures in the street. The definition separately covers dead vegetation and organic debris that create a fire hazard or shelter rats, rodents, or horticultural pests. SMC § 20.30.740(A)(6) declares nuisance vegetation, on its own, to be a code violation and a public nuisance alongside violations like accumulated refuse and right-of-way dumping.

Related to this, Chapter 12.05 SMC makes the abutting property owner responsible for keeping the public sidewalk fronting their property safe and free of obstructions, and defines 'maintenance' under SMC § 12.05.010 to include removal and disposal of vegetation from sidewalks. Enforcement runs through SMC §§ 20.30.760 and 20.30.770: the Director issues a notice and order describing the violation and required corrective action, which a responsible party can appeal to the Hearing Examiner within 14 days. Failure to correct the violation triggers a civil penalty of $500.00 for the first 14-day period, rising to 150 percent of that amount for the next 14 days and doubling for each period after that.

A person who willfully or knowingly causes a code violation is separately guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and up to 90 days in jail, with each week of continued violation counted as a new offense.