Sioux Falls, SD Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)
Key Facts
- Sidewalk clearance
- 10 feet minimum
- Street clearance
- 12 feet minimum
- Arterial/collector clearance
- 16 feet minimum
- Enforcement
- City forestry director
- Duty holder
- Abutting property owner
Summary
Sioux Falls requires 10 feet of clearance over sidewalks and 12 feet over streets, rising to 16 feet on arterial or collector streets.
Trim trees or woody plants so as not to cause a hazard to public places or interfere with the proper lighting of public streets by the streetlights or interfere with the visibility of any traffic sign. All trees or woody plants shall be trimmed to allow free passage of pedestrians and vehicular traffic and in a manner so as to allow ten feet clearance over sidewalks and 12 feet clearance over all streets; provided, however, that trees along arterial or collector streets shall be trimmed to allow a clearance of 16 feet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-135: Current through local ordinance 54-26, passed 7-14-2026).
Full Breakdown
Owners of property abutting a public place must trim trees or woody plants so they don't block streetlights, obscure traffic signs, or crowd pedestrians and vehicles. The code sets fixed minimum clearances: 10 feet over sidewalks, 12 feet over ordinary streets, and 16 feet over arterial or collector streets. The forestry director can also order removal of diseased or hazardous trees, with a compliance deadline set case by case.
Violations & Fines
No fixed fine is written into § 94.041 itself, so a failure-to-trim falls under the city's general penalty: up to a $500 fine and/or 30 days in jail, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much clearance does Sioux Falls require over a street?
Who has to trim boulevard trees in Sioux Falls?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sioux Falls
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