Sterling Heights, MI Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)
Key Facts
- Clearance height
- 8 feet above street
- Trim point
- Property line or 8-ft height
- Enforcement
- City Manager, after written notice
- Max penalty
- $500 fine, 90 days jail
Summary
Sterling Heights requires property owners to trim trees and shrubs bordering public streets to an 8-foot clearance or back to the property line, keeping branches off the road and streetlights.
The owner or person in charge or control of any lot or parcel of land within the city upon which any tree, shrub, vine or plant may be standing adjacent to any public highway shall trim or cause to be trimmed, either at the property line or to a clear height of at least eight feet above the surface of such public highway, all branches thereof which overhang any portion of such public highway or which obstruct or interfere with the passage of light from any street lighting system.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-46: Local legislation current through Ord. 509, passed 5-19-26).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 51-12 puts the trimming duty on the owner or occupant of any lot next to a public highway: cut back branches that overhang the street or block streetlight illumination, either at the property line or to a clear height of eight feet above the road surface. Owners must also avoid plantings so close to the property line that they obstruct drivers' sight lines. If an owner ignores a written notice, the City Manager's office can enter the property, do the trimming or remove the obstruction, and bill the cost back to the owner.
Violations & Fines
Failure to comply is a misdemeanor under the Code's general penalty, § 1-9: up to a $500 fine and 90 days in jail; the city can also do the trimming itself and charge the owner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to trim trees along the street in Sterling Heights?
How much clearance does Sterling Heights require over a sidewalk or street?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sterling Heights
Compare Sterling Heights to another location·View the Michigan landscaping rules overview
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Tree Trimming in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Macomb County handle tree trimming.