St. Peters, MO Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)

Section 535.080 of the Tree and Landscape Chapter names low-hanging branches a public nuisance whether the plant sits on City-owned land or a private yard. A tree or shrub violates the clearance standard once its branches or leaves drop below eight feet over a sidewalk or fourteen feet over a street, and the same Section separately flags branches that block the view of drivers, pedestrians, traffic signs, signals, or street and alley lighting. On City property, the City removes or treats the obstruction itself. On private property, the owner or the owner's agent must clear the branches, and any trimming that reaches onto City-owned plant material or the right-of-way still has to follow the removal-and-maintenance permit process in Section 535.060, including the written specifications utilities and contractors must file before routine pruning near public trees.

Before a private owner can be prosecuted for an unabated clearance nuisance, the City must first complete the notice-and-abatement steps required by Section 71.285, RSMo., and Section 215.033 of the St. Peters Code; only after those steps run can the City Administrator step in directly, and the Administrator may act immediately without notice if the branches pose an imminent danger and the owner cannot be found through diligent effort. Interfering with the Administrator's enforcement under Section 535.110 is a separate offense, and any person found guilty of a clearance violation is subject to a fine of up to $500.00 for each separate offense under Section 535.120, plus arborist-valued replacement costs for any City tree damaged in the process.