Waukesha, WI Landscaping Rules: Tree Trimming (2026)
Key Facts
- Street clearance
- 13.5 feet minimum
- Sidewalk clearance
- 8 feet minimum
- ROW tree work
- Permit from City Forester required
- Nuisance abatement notice
- 30 days
- Intersection height cap
- 30 inches in clearsight triangle
- Enforcing official
- City Forester
Summary
Waukesha requires trees over a public street to be trimmed to a 13.5-foot clearance and trees over a sidewalk to an 8-foot clearance, under Municipal Code Sec. 3.06. The City Forester enforces the standard, can waive it for newly planted trees, and can order hazardous branches abated as a nuisance.
Trees and shrubs standing in or upon any public right-of-way, public areas or upon any private premises adjacent to any public right-of-way or public areas shall be kept trimmed so that the lowest branches projecting over the public street or alley provide a clearance of not less than 13 1/2'. The City Forester may waive the provisions of this section for newly planted trees if he determines that they do not interfere with public travel, obstruct the light of any street light or endanger public safety. ... Clearance from sidewalk to lower branches shall not be less than 8'.
Full Breakdown
Under Sec. 5 feet; clearance over a sidewalk must be at least 8 feet. The City Forester decides whether pruning is necessary and may waive the street clearance for newly planted trees that do not interfere with travel, block streetlight, or endanger safety. Any cut above 1 inch in diameter must be treated with a tree wound compound. Separately, no person may plant, remove, spray, brace, trim, prune, or do surgery on a tree or shrub in a public right-of-way without a written permit from the City Forester, except to cultivate, fertilize, or water it.
Where the City Forester finds a tree or shrub on private property is a public nuisance, meaning it interferes with a public area, carries disease or pests, or endangers people or property, the owner is notified by registered mail or police delivery and has 30 days to abate it unless immediate action is required for safety. At intersections, the code separately caps hedges, trees, or shrubs at 30 inches within the clearsight triangle formed by the curb lines, and anything taller is declared a public nuisance outright.
Violations & Fines
If an owner fails to abate a tree nuisance within the 30-day notice period, the City Forester has it sprayed, removed, or otherwise abated and bills the cost to the property as a charge collected by the City Treasurer. Interfering with the City Forester's work is separately prohibited. General code violations carry the Chapter 25 penalty: not less than $10 nor more than $2,500 for a first offense and not less than $100 nor more than $5,000 for each subsequent offense, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much clearance must my street tree keep over the road?
Do I need a permit to trim a tree in the terrace next to my property?
What happens if my diseased or hazardous tree isn't trimmed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Waukesha
Compare Waukesha to another location·View the Wisconsin landscaping rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.