Southfield, MI Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)
Key Facts
- Sidewalk/bike path clearance
- 8 feet under, or 6 inches side if lower
- Street clearance
- 14 feet under, or 6 inches side if lower
- Applies to
- Private-property trees overhanging public right-of-way
- Enforcement
- Written notice from superintendent of parks and recreation
- Unpaid correction cost
- Collected like municipal taxes under § 3.34
Summary
Southfield requires branches from private-property trees to clear sidewalks and bike paths by at least 8 feet, and streets by at least 14 feet, with a 6-inch side clearance if a branch sits lower. If an owner ignores a written correction notice, the superintendent of parks and recreation trims it and bills the property.
A branch of any tree or shrub located on private property which overhangs a sidewalk or bike path shall have an under-clearance of at least eight (8) feet, and if under eight (8) feet in height, a side-clearance of at least six (6) inches. A branch of any tree or shrub located on private property which overhangs a street shall have an under-clearance of at least fourteen (14) feet; and if under fourteen (14) feet in height, a side-clearance of at least six (6) inches. In the event of a violation of the above under-clearance or side-clearance requirements, the superintendent of parks and recreation shall notify the owner or occupant of the property on which the tree or shrub is located in writing, of the existence of such violation with instructions for its correction within such time as the superintendent of parks and recreation shall deem reasonable; and if the owner or occupant fails to comply with such notice, the superintendent of parks and recreation shall cause such violation to be removed or corrected and the expense of such correction shall be collected in the manner set forth in section 3.34.
Full Breakdown
Southfield City Code § 3.25 sets clearance standards for tree branches on private property that overhang public rights-of-way. A branch overhanging a sidewalk or bike path must have at least 8 feet of vertical under-clearance; if it hangs lower than 8 feet, it must instead have at least 6 inches of side clearance. A branch overhanging a street needs 14 feet of under-clearance, or 6 inches of side clearance if lower than that. The same section addresses sight lines at intersections: vegetation in the corner triangle formed by two property lines at a street intersection, extending 25 feet each way, cannot grow taller than 3 feet above the roadway, though trees may be kept there if trimmed to maintain clear vision up to 8 feet above the road. Enforcement runs through the superintendent of parks and recreation, who must give the property owner or occupant written notice of a clearance violation with a reasonable deadline to fix it.
Violations & Fines
If the owner or occupant does not comply with the superintendent's written correction notice, § 3.25 authorizes the superintendent of parks and recreation to remove or correct the violation directly and collect the expense from the property in the manner set out in § 3.34, which certifies unpaid tree-code expenses to the city council and assesses them against the property the same way municipal taxes are assessed and collected.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high must my tree branches be trimmed over a sidewalk in Southfield?
What about branches hanging over the street?
What happens if I don't trim an overhanging branch after being notified?
Who decides how much time I get to fix a clearance violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Southfield
Compare Southfield to another location·View the Michigan landscaping rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Tree Trimming in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Oakland County handle tree trimming.